Take my breath away
by Damonsalvgirl
Summary: AU/AH. Elena leaves Mystic Falls for college after Stefan breaks her heart.She returns 3 years later for her aunts wedding,when she meets Damon a man who turned into a womanizer after his girlfriend had cheated repeatedly on him. longer summary inside.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: so I got this idea from some personal experiences, and then just ran with it. It is ALL AU/AH. Some stuff will be the same, but I have drastically changed a lot. I hope you all like it please be sure to review please? Oh and there will be a lot of cuss words and possible smutt.**

**Chapter 1: broken**

Elena sat at the bar watching the couples having fun playing pool, Dancing, kissing, laughing, and talking. She was of course jealous. She wished she had that. She rarely kept in touch with her friends and family back home. After her parents died, she did her best to get on with life and pretend everything was fine, but in reality she wasn't. She would go to school, participate with her friends, hung out with them, and went to parties, had fallen in love at one point her sophomore year. Stefan was everything to her. They had met shortly after her parents had died. He was the only one who could bring her out of her funk, make her laugh, and have fun, forget about all her problems. They were inseparable, until senior year. Elena been accepted into a summer program at Duke for journalism and was gone all summer. The first 2 weeks she would talk to Stefan every night for hours. The third week the phone calls would get shorter, by the fifth week he was calling every other night and only to return Elena's calls. Then he had just stopped calling at all, she would occasionally receive a text from him, but they were short and distant. Elena was a little worried but figured he was busy with his summer job and friends. During this time Stefan was spending more time with a new girl named Lexi. Elena was still talking to her friends and Jeremy, and they would occasionally ask how she and Stefan were and mentioned about him being with a blond girl that no one knew. Elena didn't know what to think. When she'd called to ask him about it, he'd sent her to voicemail. That's when she decided she needed to find out what was going on. She packed her bags and got in her car and took off to mystic falls. She had only called Caroline and Jeremy to let them know she was coming and to not say anything. 6 ½ hours later she arrived in Mystic Falls, she wasn't sure where to go, but she had a feeling something was going on. She first went to the grill where she met Caroline, Bonnie, Matt and Tyler they had told her that Stefan had left a few minutes before she got there and that they assumed he was heading home. So she took off to the Salvatore mansion as she pulled up she had seen the lights were on and his car was in the drive. She parked her car and got out. When she knocked on the door it opened a bit, so she walked in and yelled for Stefan, but got no answer. She walked upstairs to Stefan's room hearing some noise then a muffled grunt, and a moan. She opened the door and almost fell to the floor; there Stefan was in bed fucking a blond girl. Tears started streaming down her face she tried to quietly back out and run but as she backed out a sob escaped her mouth and Stefan had turned to look at the door. She didn't even wait around to hear him explained she sped home and cried in her bed all night. She wouldn't answer any texts or calls from anyone, surprisingly Stefan had tried texting her multiple times. The one man who she had trusted, who was supposed to protect her and love her, had broken her so bad. She was shattered; they were supposed to get married in the summer before college. She couldn't believe he would have done that. Weeks later they had eventually talked and he had explained everything, and had told her that he had fallen in love with this Lexi and that they were going to go off to college. He had thought he had loved her but in reality he didn't. That was when Elena went back into her shell. She finished her senior year, she would occasionally hand out wither friends, but mostly she stayed in her room. She was accepted in to Duke and didn't waste any time leaving Mystic Falls. She had spent a year watching the love of her life with his new girlfriend; she just couldn't seem to get over him. Her and Caroline ended up going to Duke together, she had gotten Elena to go on dates and come out of her shell some, but deep down she was still broken, none of the dates had turned into boyfriends. She simply couldn't trust anyone. They had recently graduated, and Caroline had moved back Mystic Falls to be with Tyler. Elena didn't want to move back, she never wanted to step foot in this town again. But here she is sitting at the bar at the grill drinking her screwdrivers, taking shots of patron while watching all the happy couples. Bonnie and Matt had hooked up and were living together, and Jeremy was engaged to his girlfriend Anna, Caroline and Tyler had talked about getting married but so far it was just talk and to top it off she was dragged back here for her aunts wedding. She and Alaric had finally decided to get married after 7 years and Elena was her maid of honor. Elena wished she had had what all her friends had. She was lonely and miserable, and hated the fact that one man could break her so bad. Her thoughts were interrupted by Caroline.

"Elena, don't you think you've had enough?" She said with a small hint of a giggle. Elena tossed back the shot of patron and looked at Caroline.

"Yea I guess I have. I'm going to head home now." Elena got off the stool and grabbed her purse. She started to walk when Caroline grabbed her arm.

"Lena, you can't drive. You might not feel drunk right now, but you have had way too much to drink. Let me drive you home?"

"No, car it's ok I'm just going to walk. I need the fresh air. Will one of you drop my car off for me?" Caroline nodded and Elena hand her her keys and walked out the door and she slammed right into a strong chest, she almost fell back when she felt strong but gentle hands grab her arms to steady her. She looked up and was amazed at the brightest blue eyes she had ever seen. She couldn't help but stare, he was beautiful.

"Are you ok?" He asked. Oh his voice was even beautiful it sent shivers down her spine.

"yy..y..yea I am." She stuttered out." I'm sorry I wasn't paying attention." She started to slur. He smirked at her, and her heart started to flutter a bit. What was wrong with her! She thought to herself.

"It's alright." He replied still smirking, he wasn't moving. Elena was nervous not sure what to do next.

"Umm..I..I was just leaving. Thank you" She smiled. He dropped his hands and she walked around him as she reached the door she turned to look at him.

"Bye" She said softly.

"Bye, I hope I'll see you around." He said and winked, that made her blush a bit. She didn't notice he kept his eyes on her watching her walk out the door.

On her walk home she couldn't seem to get him off her mind. She had only spoken a few words to him, and yet he was all she could think about. She was hoping to see him again too. She got home and didn't even change she fell on her bed and passed out with him in her thoughts.

4 days had passed and she hadn't seen the beautiful stranger again. She still thought about him all the time, but today she had to have her mind on other things. It was the night of the rehearsal dinner, and she had to focus on Jenna's wedding. Jenna, Jeremy, Anna, and Elena got into Jenna's car and headed to the boarding house for the rehearsal dinner. Elena silently prayed Stefan wouldn't be there. She had heard that Lexi and him had gotten married 2 years ago, but wasn't sure If they lived here or not, she wasn't about to ask either. As they pulled up into the driveway her nerves were starting to get the best of her.

"Lena, he's not here. They don't live here anymore. You can stop freaking out." Jeremy said.

"I wasn't freaking out, I was just nervous." She replied shutting the car door and walking back to the garden.

DPOV

He couldn't explain what was going on with him. Ever since the first time he seen her he hadn't been able to stop thinking about her. She was beautiful, and her voice was sweet. He hadn't seen her again since then, he had been so busy with being Ric's best man. But he wasn't the type to be hung up on a girl. He had only been serious once on his life, with a girl named Katherine. They had dated for 2 years when they were in high school. He was so in love with her, He had forgiven her for cheating on him twice, and she had sworn to never do it again, and then he had walked in on her fucking Elijah in the bed they shared, on their anniversary. That was when he had ended it, and decided to never trust a woman again. He didn't think of himself as a total womanizer, but he tended to like one night stands. He never thought about a woman like he was thinking of the beautiful brunette from the other night. He was sitting down next to Ric at the wedding party table for the rehearsal dinner, when he saw her. She walked in with Jenna; she had her hair pulled half way up with curls, a soft subtle amount of make-up, and a form fitting knee length blue strapless dress, with black opened toe stilettos. He was literally stunned by how beautiful she had looked. He also couldn't believe she was here with Jenna. How had he never met her before? He elbowed Ric to get his attention.

"What the fuck dick?"Ric asked

"Who is she?" Damon asked

"Who? Elena?"He asked looking in the direction Damon was.

"Is that her name? Who is she?"

"She's Jenna's niece and you leave her alone. She been through enough, she doesn't need to add to it." Ric snapped glaring at Damon.

"Damn Ric, calm down I was just asking who she was. What's the harm in talking to her?"

"Damon, I mean it, don't fuck with her."

"Oh shut up Ric I don't fuck with every girl I talk to." He smirked and watched as Elena walked up to another blond and was talking to her. He watched her body the way it moved when she was talking and her facial expressions as she talked and laughed. That laugh made him smile. He didn't know what was coming over him but he had to get to know her. Just as he was getting ready to stand up she turned and had started walking towards the table. She finally spotted him and she paused and looked at him. He smiled at her and waved at her, in which she returned. His eyes followed her as she took her seat next to Jenna. Ahh so she's the maid of honor and I'm the best man, perfect he thought to himself. After dinner was done, everyone was drinking and dancing. He spotted Elena standing over by the bar with a drink in her hand talking to a couple of girls. He walked over to the bar standing next to her and ordered himself a drink. When he turned around the 2 girls Elena was speaking to had left and she was leaning against the bar, he turned to her and watched as she took a sip of her drink.

"Hi" He said smiling. She turned towards him.

"Hi" She replied smiling.

"I'm Damon, the best man."

"I'm Elena the maid of honor." She replied smiling slightly blushing.

"It's nice to meet you, Elena." He smiled and grabbed her hand and kissed it, which caused her to blush more.

"Nice meeting you too." She replied looking into his eyes. Just then take my breath away had started. He didn't know why he was going to do what he was about to do, but he felt he had to.

"Would you like to dance?" He asked her. At first she looked like she was going to decline, she looked out to the dance floor then back to him and shrugged.

"Sure." She replied smiling. He grabbed her hand and led her to the dance floor. He put his hands on her hips and she put her hands on his shoulders.

_'Watching every motion in my foolish lover's game  
On this endless ocean finally lovers know no shame  
Turning and returning to some secret place inside  
Watching in slow motion as you turn around and say_

Take my breath away'

He was thinking it was kind of ironic. He had just met this girl but yet she had managed to literally take his breath away with her beauty. They continued to sway to the music, keeping their eyes locked on each other's in silence.

_'Watching every motion in my foolish lover's game  
On this endless ocean finally lovers know no shame  
Turning and returning to some secret place inside  
Watching in slow motion as you turn around and say_

Take my breath away

Watching I keep waiting still anticipating love  
Never hesitating to become the fated ones  
Turning and returning to some secret place to hide  
Watching in slow motion as you turn to me and say

Take my breath away'

He couldn't break his eyes away from her no matter how hard he tried. Something about this girl was different. He knew she would be different then the other girls. He just wasn't sure how, or why. His left hand left her hip long enough to brush a strand of hair behind her ear, and then slowly with the back of his hand he caressed her cheek, before replacing his hand on her hip.

'_Through the hourglass I saw you, in time you slipped away  
when the mirror crashed I called you, and turned to hear you say  
If only for today I am unafraid_

Take my breath away'

Neither of them even realized that the song had ended, they were still swaying along to the music they thought was still there until party rock anthem came on and Tyler started yelling about everyone to get there asses out there and dance to the song. Elena and Damon giggled at that, and decided to dance along with everyone else. For the first time in years they were both having fun dancing, and laughing. Around midnight everything was wrapped up and people were leaving, Damon didn't want the night to end though, he was finding himself very interested in Elena.

"So would you like to get together tomorrow, and have dinner or something?" He asked her his eyes never leaving hers. She looked like she was thinking before she smiled at him.

"Yea that sounds good. Do you want my number?" He nodded and handed her his phone and she punched in her info and handed it back to him.

"OK, I'll call you tomorrow morning and we talk about it then." He smiled. She nodded smiled and got into the car he waved at her and she waved back. He stood there and watched the car leave before turning to go inside the house. He didn't even know this girl and yet she's already making him do stuff he normally wouldn't do. He was already changing, and that worried him a bit. Last time he was like this he ended up being broken. He knew that he couldn't walk away now though, he had to know her. There was something about her that made him want to do those sweet things for her. He walked over to his bar and poured himself a drink and sat down on the couch.

"Ric will be pissed off at this!"He chuckled to himself.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: So wow! I can't believe how many people put this story on their alerts/favorites! I wasn't expecting so many so soon! Thank you guys so much for liking this story! I had a few reviews, I was hoping to get a little more than that, but I'm happy with all the story alerts! So **xXMysticalFlowerXx **asked if Damon and Stefan are related and the answer is in this chapter! Actually quite a bit of information will come out in this chapter, including Elena's thoughts about the night of the rehearsal dinner. It will switch between Damon and Elena's point of views; I hope it doesn't get too confusing! And just so you know, there's a part where they react way to extremely for the situation, but it was the only way I could write this certain part in and it make since to the rest of the story. ALL characters will be OOC at some point in this story.**

**Chapter 2: The Date**

**EPOV**

On the car ride home all Elena could think about was Damon. She had never felt so drawn to someone before, especially someone she had just met days before. He was so sweet with the way he had kissed her hand, and brushed her hair from her face while they were dancing. Her heart was fluttering the whole time she was around him; she never had that happen, not even with Stefan. She stared out the window wondering what to think about the whole thing.

"Elena?..Earth to Elena?" Jeremy said waving his hands in front of her face. She looked at him confused.

"We're home." He said laughing.

"Oh, yea right." She replied blushing.

She went straight to her room got ready for bed and laid down. She had so much going through her mind she was tossing and turning for about an hour when her phone went off. She grabbed it and was surprise to see it was an unknown number; she wasn't sure who it could be but she opened it up and read it immediately knowing it was Damon.

**: Unknown number: Sry so late thought u should have my # 2. I had a great time tonight, looking forward to seeing you tomorrow :D.**

**: Me: It's ok I was still up. Thank u; I had a great time too. I'm looking forward to it too. ;D**

**: Unknown number: Ill text you tomorrow. Goodnight Elena.**

**: Me: ok. Goodnight Damon.**

Elena smiled closing her phone and placing it back on her night stand, and fell asleep within minutes.

The next day Elena woke up smiling, for the first time in years. She grabbed her phone to check if Damon had text her, but there was only 5 missed messages from Caroline and Bonnie, and 1 miss call from Matt. She sighed replied to the messages and went down stairs to eat some breakfast. Alaric, Jenna and Jeremy were sitting around the table eating. Elena smiled and greeted them all, humming a song to herself as she sat down and ate her pancakes and bacon.

"Elena? What's gotten into you? I haven't seen you like this in a long time." Jenna said

"I don't know, I guess I'm just in a good mood from last night." She said smiling and continued humming her song.

"What are you humming?" Jeremy asked

"Hmm? Oh just the song I danced to with Damon, it's been stuck in my head all night." She said blushing slightly.

Jenna smiled at her.

"Ahh, so you met someone then?" Jenna questioned. Elena looked up at her with a puzzling look on her face.

"Hmm, well I guess I kind of did." She replied and let out a small chuckle. "We're supposed to go on a date I guess tonight. I haven't heard from him yet though. He said he'd text me in the morning."

"Well it is only ten. Maybe he's just a late morning person." Jenna suggested. "Ric, you're his best friend. Is his morning noon?" Jenna asked with a giggle.

Ric shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.

"Look, he's my friend and all, and he's a great guy, but he went through a lot a few years ago and it changed him. He's normally not one to stick to things he says." He noticed Elena frown."But, I think he'll stick it to it this time. He kept asking about you yesterday. As for when his morning is, depends on how much he drank the night before. Could be 9 could be noon, give or take. Look Elena, I could be wrong, but just be careful. I'm sure he'll call."

Elena looked at him with a slight frown that definitely wasn't the vibe she was getting from him last night.

"He seemed sweet to me last night. He text me and told me he was looking forward to it and all." She replied. Ric had look on his face she couldn't place what it was, then he shrugged his shoulders.

"Like I said I could be wrong."

Elena helped Jeremy clean the kitchen up and went up to her room to get ready. She noticed her phone flashing; she either had a message or missed a call. She opened her phone and as Damon's name flashed across the screen, she opened the message to read it.

**: Damon: Morning Elena. Hope were still on how about I pick u up around 6 tonight?**

**: Me: Morning, sure were still on, that sounds great. I'll be ready. Do u need my address?**

**: Damon: Great! No, I'm aware of where Ric lives. I'll see you later.**

**: Me: ok.**

Elena put her phone on her night stand and continued getting ready for the day. She had a busy day. She promised Bonnie, and Caroline that she'd meet them for lunch and then go shopping. She couldn't wait to tell them about her date. She knew they would be so excited and happy for her.

2 hours later the girls had finished up there lunch and were on their way to the mall. Caroline told Elena that she couldn't possibly go on a date with an old outfit. So she talked Elena into going shopping for a new outfit for her date tonight, and with Caroline and Bonnie, she knew it was going to be something Elena would normally not wear.

After 2 hours of trying on multiple outfits they finally found the perfect outfit. It was comfortable, and could be both sexy and casual. Elena didn't really know how this date was going to be. She or rather Caroline and Bonnie had found an adorable Black spaghetti strap top with lace trim, and a black mini skirt with a slit on the side. Bonnie had found a cute pair of black strappy stilettos'. Elena would never wear something like this, but she had to admit she loved it. She couldn't wait to get home and get ready. They were leaving the mall when Caroline grabbed her arm and stopped her.

"Look lets go in there and find you something sexy to wear underneath." Caroline squealed.

"Caroline, I just met him. It's our first date, there's no need for sexy lingerie. He won't be seeing it." Elena replied.

"But Elena, it's been years, and you're so into him Lena, you can't say you're not." Caroline replied

"OK, I admit yes I'm really into him and yes it's been years at least 3, but I'm not just going to jump right into bed with him. It's different. I'm not sure why but it just feels different with him. I know it's weird, we just met, but I can't help it."

"Ok, ok no lingerie then. Maybe you guys are soul mates!" Caroline giggled. Bonnie rolled her eyes and smacked Caroline's arm playfully.

"I'm dead serious Bonnie, you guys don't believe in soul mates or love at first site?" Caroline asked as the girls pulled her to the car.

"I never really thought about it."Elena replied.

"I do, I believe Matt's my soul mate." Bonnie replied with a huge grin as they pulled out of the mall.

By the time they dropped Elena off it was a little after 5, she would have to hurry to be ready by 6, and she wanted to look great for their first date. She jumped in the shower and quickly got dressed she applied a small amount of make-up and straightened her hair. She put on her locket necklace and her earrings, and applied a little perfume. She checked herself over one more time in the mirror as the door bell rang.

Then it hit her, she froze. She knew there was something there on her part, but what if it was only one sided. What if she really was just a one night stand to him? What if this wasn't a date to begin with and she just jumped to conclusions.

"Elena! Damon's here" Jeremy yelled.

She shook her head of all her thoughts, she'll let it go, deal with all these thoughts later. She picked up her purse and headed down the stairs. She got halfway down the stairs and realized Damon was starring at her. She began to feel uncomfortable; maybe he didn't like her outfit, or her hair. She looked down at herself then back at him and he was smiling.

"You look beautiful." He said handing her a single rose. She smiled and took it.

"Thank you." She replied as he kissed the back of her hand again. Her heart started fluttering again.

"You ready?" he asked. Elena nodded and they headed out the door.

Damon had taken her to a nice little café; the whole restaurant was lit by candle light. They talked about the wedding, and Damon told her some stories of him and Alaric's drunken nights. After dinner was done he took her park and they walked down the path through the woods and along the river. He stopped in the clearing by the river and sat down in the grass. He grabbed Elena's hand and pulled her down towards him.

"I thought we could sit for a while and talk." He said smiling.

"That sounds good." She smiled

"So how come I just now met you? I've lived here for 3 years now, and I've never seen you around." He asked

"I grew up here. I took off after I graduated to go to college. And I just didn't want to come back."

"Really? What college did you go to?"

"Duke. I went with Caroline. We both went for journalism."

"That's cool, why didn't you want to come back?"

"Uh, umm I had a really bad break up my senior year; I hadn't even seen it coming. We were supposed to get married the summer we graduated. Turns out the summer of junior year he had met someone while I was away for my college program. Cheated on me the whole time, I walked in on them. And he admitted that he didn't love me like thought… I'm sorry I don't know why I said that."

"No, it's ok. I understand a kind of had the same thing happen. I know what it feels like. Would it be wrong for me to tell you he was an idiot?"

She smiled and nodded.

"No, thank you. Why did you move here?"

"Well, I was living in Richmond when I broke up with my ex, and then my step brother had gotten married and moved to Florida, so I had to come here and take care of our family home, and I grew fond of this place. And of course I couldn't leave Ric, he'd be lost without me." He joked and then realized Elena's eyes were wide and her mouth was gapping open.

"What's wrong? Are you ok?" He said turning towards her.

"Uh, yea I'm fine. Did you say your step brother got married and moved away? What's your step brother's name?"

"Stefan. why?" Her reaction had answered his question.

"Oh shit, he's the idiot isn't he?" He asked. She shook her head.

"I'm sorry, if I would have known I wouldn't have said anything. I didn't mean to bring up bad memories for you. Is it too weird for this?" he asked pointing back and forth between the two of them. She stared at him for a few seconds. She wasn't sure. She was still shocked; she had never known Stefan had a step brother.

"It's ok, how could you have known. I.. I'm not sure. I'm kind of shocked. He never said anything about having a step brother."

"Yea, well we weren't exactly close. He truly is an idiot. Look do you want me to take you home?"

"No, we can talk some more." She smiled.

They sat out there for a few hours talking about everything. He told her everything about Katherine, and how he was towards woman after her. And she told him everything about Stefan and after him. She couldn't believe how easy it was for her to open up and tell him about everything. She was even more surprised that she had done so after Damon basically telling her he was a womanizer. Somehow during there talking Elena ended up leaning up against him with his arm around her. She wasn't sure when that had happened, but it felt right. She couldn't help but feel safe in his arms. She also thought that she was nuts for still wanting to trust him after everything she found out about him, but she couldn't blame him, he'd been broken like her. She looked up at him only to find he was looking down at her there faces so close they could feel each other's breath on their skin. Damon leaned in and just barely touched her lips when she yawned. Can you believe that she yawned right when he was about to kiss her! She looked up at him and he had a smirk, but she could tell the moment was ruined, oh if she could kick herself in the ass her ass would be black and blue.

"I guess it's pretty late I should get you home." He said still looking down at her. She still couldn't believe she had yawned when he was going to kiss her; all she could do was smile and nod. He stood up and pulled her up with so much force their bodies were touching, she thought he was going to try and kiss her again, but he just chuckled and turned around heading for the car she was a little disappointed, but followed him to his car.

The drive home was quiet, neither of them was sure of what to say. Unbeknownst to Elena, Damon thought that when Elena yawned was her way of getting out of the kiss that she wasn't interested in him that way, and he couldn't blame her. Not only after finding out how was he with woman, but after finding out about him being related to her ex. Unbeknownst to Damon, Elena desperately wanted him to kiss her. The car stopped in front of her house, she had expected him to open her door or at least walk her up to her door, but he just sat there staring out the front window. Elena slowly opened the door and she stopped and looked back at him.

"So, I had fun tonight." She said with a smile.

"Yea, uh me too" He replied not even looking at her.

"Well, I guess I'll see you later, unless you want to come in?" She asked

"No, I got some things to do, I'll see you around." His voice was colder.

What the hell had happened? She shook her head and got out barely shut his car door before he took off. Leaving her standing there completely confused. How did things go from being so good, to being that bad? She walked to her door and felt the tears threatening to fall. Why is she this upset over it, she had just met him, yet her heart was hurting like never before. She made it to her room and threw her purse on her chair and herself on her bed. That's when she remembered everything he had told her, she had seriously thought he was serious about her, but she was really just another one night stand, and he acted that way toward her because he was either mad he hadn't gotten farther with her, or just wanted to piss her off so she wouldn't call. As she lay down and pulled the covers up she told herself she would say goodbye to Damon, she wouldn't call him, or ask about him. She'd forget about him. Try telling that to her heart of course as silent tears streamed down her face.

~~~  
DPOV

Damon threw open his front door and slammed it shut. He took his leather coat off and threw it on the couch as he walked to his bar. He thought she was ok with everything, he thought she was into him, the way she leaned up against him, and let him put his arm around her. I mean seriously a yawn? She really couldn't just say 'Oh, no I'm not interested in you that way.' 'or hell no!' Or it's too soon. She seriously had to yawn to get out of him kissing her. He slammed his glass down on the table. He seriously thought that maybe just maybe they had something; he was so drawn to her, for what to just be walked all over again? Why the hell was it affecting him this way after they'd only known each other for a few days? He couldn't for the life of him understand why he became so cold to her when he dropped her off. He didn't want to be a dick to her; he didn't want her to see that side of him. Seriously this girl was making him crazy, and he'd known her for less than a week. He needed to back of a bit, to think and being around that girl wouldn't help. He grabbed his jacket and stormed out of the house slamming his door behind him, he needed a drink, and maybe a little entertainment for the night.

He walked into the grill and looked around, it was close to closing time most people had left already, but he saw a slender red head sitting at the bar. He walked over and sat down on the stool next to her, ordered his drink and turned to the girl.

"Man troubles?" He asked her.

"Not anymore, my names Vicki." She said winking at him.

"My names not important, my place or yours?" He asked finishing his drink, he threw some bills on the bar and they left.

Worst night ever, really everything he did with this Vicki girl all he saw was Elena's face. Every time he kissed her, talked to her danced with her, even when he fucked her it took everything in him to get her face out of his head. He had at one point made her roll over so he couldn't even see her face, but that didn't help. Finally he managed to release and he quickly jumped off the bad and pulled his pants up and went to down stairs and fixed himself a drink. A few moments later Vicki came down fully clothed, she looked at him with a slight grin nodded her head and walked out the door. What the hell was this girl doing to him! He used to bring girls home fuck all night then send them on their way, tonight he barely managed to fuck the girls once. He slammed his drink down and went to bed, thinking of Elena the whole time.

It had been almost a week, and he still hadn't talked to her about that night. Turns out Vickie had quit the mouth and ran it off to everyone about her night with him, and it got back to Elena. He was at the grill when she had come in with Bonnie; she smiled at him and said hi, and then some blond who he thought her name was Amber, and then that's when he realized she hadn't been told yet. Her face was suddenly pale, and he could tell she was struggling to hold back tears. He choked back the rest of his drink and sat it down on the bar, and watched as she ran out the door. A few minutes later Bonnie had walked up to him tapping him on the shoulder.

"Yes?" He said turning around.

"What the fuck Damon, why the hell would you do that?" She yelled

"Look last I checked I was single, I can fuck who I want when I want." He replied with a smirk.

Next think he knew Bonnie's hand was connecting with his face.

"What the fuck did you do that for?" He yelled back.

"Because for some idiotic reason Elena really liked you, and it took her a long time to like someone like that, and you just go and treat her like that because she wouldn't fuck you by the river? You're a fucking asshole; I can't believe you did that. Now she'll never trust a man. Seems like your more like your brother then you let on." She yelled and stormed out the door.

The words she had said finally hit him, he never even tried to fuck her by the river what the hell was she talking about. He threw some bills on the bar and left.

He pulled up in front of Elena's house, but wasn't sure if he should go to the door, so he figured he'd text her and hopefully shed reply.

**: Damon: Hey I need to talk to you about the other night.**

**: Elena: There's nothing to talk about Damon.**

**: Damon: Yes, there is. Look please just talk to me; you don't have to let me in, just come out to my car.**

**: Elena: Why should I"**

**: Damon: Because I owe you an apology, and explanation.**

No response, he sat there for another 5 minutes when she appeared at the passenger side door. He opened it and she reluctantly got in.

"I'm sorry for being a dick to you when I dropped you off the other night."

"Its fine Damon, I get it."

"No, actually you don't. I'm actually really confused; I thought you were into me that night. Why didn't you just tell me the truth, instead of telling Bonnie things that didn't happen?"

"What are you talking about? I was into it, you're the one that turned into a dick, and then went out and fucked Vickie, the same night."

"Look, I'm not one for sharing my feelings, but I think there's a huge miss understanding going on here. I was a dick, because for some crazy ass reason, I umm well I was pissed that you couldn't even be honest instead you yawned and pretended to be tired. You could have been honest, I wouldn't have gotten mad."

"What? I didn't pretend. I really yawned, I didn't mean to. But I seriously was into you; I wanted you to kiss me." She replied fidgeting with her fingers.

"Well, I am seriously a dick." He said running his hands threw his hair.

"One more thing, why the hell does Bonnie think I was being a dick to you because you wouldn't fuck my by the river?" When he looked over at Elena he could see her face turn pink.

"Umm, because I thought that's what I was. I thought I was just one of those girls, and you turned into a dick because I wouldn't fuck you."

"You'll never be one of those girls Elena" He said totally shocking himself. Elena didn't know which way to take that. She looked up at him with her brows furrowed and he could tell she was confused.

"You'll never be a one night stand. Never." He said as he caressed her cheek with the back of his hand.

AN: I know it's a bit long, but ill be updating my other story tomorrow night so I wanted to try and make up for a night with no update. I hope you like it! Please review, I'm open to ideas too. Oh and I have some exciting news, my 9 year old daughter just got offered a role in an independent horror/thriller film! She's so excited, it will be posted on imbd!


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Sorry it took me so long to update. I've realized that I haven't given much information on Damon's life. So I will try to put that in. I want to thank everyone for their reviews, and story alerts/favorites. Also thanks to everyone who commented on my daughter, she did get the role, and we were filming Sunday and Monday. It was so much fun! It was just a short one, but she LOVED it and wants to keep doing it. Everyone said she was the best child actor they've worked with, and acted like a pro, like she's had years of experience. Anyway, please review and let me know what you think, I've hit a huge writers block on both these stories, yet I have more ideas in my head.**

**WARNING WARNING WARNING: there will be some smut in this chapter, you have been warned, also my first attempt at writing smut, so let me know how it is….if it's bad I won't do it again..haha**

**Chapter 3: Insecurities?**

2 weeks had passed, and Damon and Elena were spending every day together. They found out a lot about each other, and were beginning to finish each other sentences. Of course they had their occasional arguments, the major one: Damon being a smart ass, or dick to Caroline or Bonnie, and he still gave Matt shit over his name, just because he knew it got under his skin, but of course after the argument he'd flash his beautiful smirk and wiggle his eyebrows at her and she'd give in. They went on dates every weekend, and occasionally had group dates with their friends. Summer was coming to an end and eventually she was going to have to go back to North Carolina, she still had an apartment, a roommate, a job and things there. She wasn't sure if he'd want her to move here, or if he'd move there or what, they hadn't talked about it yet, and Elena was worried if they'd be able to make it long distance, but didn't want to ruin what time they had together so she kept her mouth shut. She had 1 more week before she had to leave, it couldn't wait any longer. She cared about Damon, and she knew he had some kind of feelings for her, but she wasn't sure how they would work this out, or if it was just a summer thing.

EPOV:

Elena and Damon were sitting on the couch in the living room of the boarding house, she was reading a book, and he was watching her drinking his whiskey. She'd really wasn't even paying attention to the book all she was thinking about was that she was running out of time, she had put it off long enough, now there was only days left. She sighed and put her book down in her lap.

"Damon we need to talk about something."

"About?"

"I have to go back to North Carolina."

"Why?" He asked his eyebrows furrowing.

"I have a job, at least I did. I have an apartment, and a roommate and all my things are there."

She waited for him to respond, but he looked away from her finished his drink and got up and refilled it standing at his bar facing away from her. She didn't know what to say, it was almost like he was shutting her out again.

"Ok, so when are you leaving?"

"Monday morning." His head snapped up and his eyes locked on hers. It was such an intense stare; she couldn't bring herself to break away.

"That's what less than 2 days away Elena! Why are you just now saying something?" He was raising his voice.

"Because.. well.. I don't know why."

"Shit, Elena. Seriously?"

"You're mad?"

"Why the hell wouldn't I be? You never said anything about going back!" He was yelling now. She had never heard him yell at her like this.

"Damon, you had to of known I would go back. I told you from the beginning I didn't even want to come back here, I just came back for Jenna and Ric's wedding. I stayed so long because we met, and I wanted to take a little more time off and spend it with you."

"Oh? And why the hell would you do that, when you knew from the beginning you weren't staying?"

"What? Why wouldn't I? Damon we clicked from the moment we met, I couldn't just leave. I had to get to know you."

"You don't make since Elena. Why get to know me, when we weren't even going to be together?"

"Damon? What.."

"Don't worry about it Elena. Go home; go back to your life. I'll be just fine; I was fine before you and I'll be fine after you."

"So you're breaking up with me because I have to go home?" Her voice started to break and her bottom lip started to quiver. At the sound of her voice breaking his head snapped up and he saw her eyes watery, and he set his drink down and walked over to her.

"No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sound like such a dick. I'm just pissed that you waited until now to even talk about it. I don't want to break up with you, but neither of us knows where we're really at. We've only been together for what a month? If that, maybe you should go home. We'll still talk every night, and I'll come to see you. We can see where it goes. Neither of us should give up anything until we know where we stand. I do care about you Elena, don't think that I don't. I just don't we need to be giving up jobs and homes until we know what we are."

Elena nodded her head. "Ok, I understand. I care about you too." She smiled, and he smiled back.

They spent her last days in Mystic Falls with each other at the boarding house, watching movies, talking, reading, playing games. Anything they could do to have fun with each other.

They agreed that they'd talk on the phone whenever possible, and that he'd come out there every weekend possible.

DPOV

Damon was sitting at his desk trying to complete his case work for the day, which was taking him extremely longer than usual; it didn't help that he couldn't stop thinking about Elena. Frustrated he closed his laptop and put his head in his hands when his phone went off, Damon snapped it open without even looking at who it was.

"Hello?"

"Hey brother how's it going?"

"Ah, little brother. What do you want?" Damon snapped out.

"Wow, what's got you all twisted? Can't a brother call and check on his big brother? I haven't heard from you in a while."

"Not when we go years without talking. I'm busy."

"Yea, anyway Dad's been wondering when you're coming back. Said he can't keep your spot open forever. How much longer do you need? You've been on vacation for what 3 years? That's a long vacation."

"Stefan, I told dad I wasn't coming back. I hate doing politics; I refuse to do it anymore. I'm happy where I am now."

"How can you say that? I know how you live Damon, how are you going to continue living your life style, when Dad cuts you off?"

"It's none of your business to begin with, but I have plenty saved, and other things are more important to me than money these days."

"Well ill pass the message onto dad, but do expect a call from him. He won't be happy."

"I don't care!" Damon snapped back and hung up the phone.

His dad was hot shot lawyer in New York, and was currently running for mayor. Damon was raised to take over as lead of his dads firm. At first Damon was all for it, he loved the money. Then when his dad had decided to run for mayor, Damon was forced to work long hours while his dad was off preparing, and it cost him Katherine or so he believed. He realized that money wasn't everything and decided to take a break for a while, up until he met Elena he was still considering going back, now he really just wanted to find something he'd like to do. He was smart while working for his dad; he put most in the bank and was saving wisely for the future.

The next few weeks were routine for Damon. He woke up at 5 am every morning, drove to Richmond where he was working in a law firm, drive home around 5, go to the grill for drinks then go home. He can usually work from home, but he found it more distracting when he went to the office. He really missed Elena, and he was starting to think that he was falling for her, but he had no clue where her feelings were at, and he refused to put everything out there to just be broken all over again. He talked to her at least once a day, and it took everything in him to keep his feelings in. He was going to see her this weekend and he really couldn't wait, but he was also really nervous. Elena could realize once he got there that she didn't want to be with him anymore. He hated to think that, but deep down he had no clue where they stood.

The Thursday before his weekend trip he was in his office filing some papers before he left to go home for the weekend. He heard his door open and close, and heard a female clear her throat, he glanced up to see who it was and froze.

"Katherine?" He whispered

"Hello Damon." She replied

"What do you want?" He snapped

"Well I heard you're not working for your dad anymore, so I figured we could get back together." She replied stepping closer to him.

"Why the hell would you think that?"

"You know you still love me, and want me Damon, don't play this game." She replied while running her hand down Damon's chest. Damon swatted her hand away and stepped away from her shaking his head.

"Katherine, you had your chance, you played me. You cheated on me, while we were engaged, in my bed! Why the hell would I give you another chance? No Katherine, you fucked up. I'm completely done; I'm not wasting any more time on you. Leave Now!" He yelled.

Katherine glared at him at turned to walk out the door.

"You may be done, but I'm not. I'll see you around." And then she was out the door. Damon didn't know what to think. He told himself he was over her, he had to be right?

EPOV

2 weeks later

It had been a few weeks since Elena had been back in North Carolina. Everything seemed off, she just couldn't figure out what the deal was. Her life was boring all of a sudden; she'd work and then come home and repeat every day. She spoke to Damon at least once a day every day since she had gotten home. This weekend was going to be the first weekend Damon would be coming to see her. She was nervous and excited she couldn't wait to see him. She felt horrible being away from Damon this long. She missed him terribly; he seemed to miss her too. Recently he had started calling her more even if it was just for a few minutes, and he'd send her text messages telling her he missed her and he couldn't wait to see her. She knew that she was falling for him, she just wasn't sure if he was falling for her, she didn't want to rush anything she was too worried she'd scare him off.

She had been cleaning her apartment for the past 2 hours, waiting for Damon to get there. She was so nervous and worried about how they would be towards each other. True it's only been 2weeks, but a lot can change in two weeks, and she was still a little worried from the little comments Damon had made when he first found out she was leaving Mystic Falls. Something about the way he reacted and spoke that day seemed odd. She couldn't put her finger on it, but she knew something was off about the whole situation. Finally she heard knocking on her door, and was so excited she ran to the door and swung it open revealing Damon leaning against the door frame. She wasn't sure how to act, so she stood there smiling waiting for him to say or do something. He smiled back at her and held his arms out to her in which she laughed and jumped in his arms.

"I missed you!" She said while planting kisses over his jaw line.

"I missed you too baby." He replied with a chuckle and then kissed her on the lips. With his foot he kicked his bag into the apartment, and walked in still holding her in his arms he shut the door with his foot and fell against it. They're kiss became deeper Elena's reached up to his raven black hair and ran her fingers through it pulling it a bit at times. Damon's hands found Elena's ass, and he caressed it and cupped it at times. Elena pulled away from him gasping for air, Damon continued kissing her down her neck running his hands from her ass up to her waist and then under her shirt running his hands over her soft warm skin, bringing his tips up under her bra strap. Elena moaned throwing her head back sliding her hands down to his waist them up under her shirt where she was caressing his abs and nipples. Next thing she knew her back was hitting the couch and Damon had pulled her shirt over her head. Damon trailed kisses from her neck down to her naval then back up again and crushed his lips to hers. Elena moaned as Damon rubbed his erection on her, as she pulled his shirt off. Damon pulled away and gazed into Elena's eyes, like he was asking her if she was sure. She nodded and pulled his face down to hers kissing him passionately, as he removed her bra. He trailed kisses from her mouth down to her breast where he licked around her nipple, blew on it then took it into his mouth, sucking and lightly grazing it with his teeth, while his other hand caressed her left breast. Elena moaned loudly and grabbed his hair pulling it slightly making Damon let out a husky growl from his throat. He then trailed kisses from her right to her left breast taking the nipple into his mouth and he caressed the right one with his hand, only this time he bit a little harder causing Elena to buck her hips. Damon pulled away and unbuckled her shorts sliding them down her legs and threw them to the floor. He then moved her black lacey panties to the side as he plunged 2 fingers inside of her Elena moaned and started thrusting in rhythm of his fingers, his other hand caressing her inner thigh. They had their eyes locked one each other their gazes never parting. He pulled his fingers out and licked his finger clean.

"Mmmm, baby you taste even better than I thought." He winked at her pulling her panties off. He then lowered his head between her thighs, licking her juices up to her clit, he pulled her clit into his mouth sucking, and gently biting on it. He then added two fingers into her and thrust as his mouth worked on her clit. Elena bucked her hips and moaned.

"Mmmmm, oh Damon."She moaned as she threw her head back and moved her hips to match Damon's fingers thrusting.

"Oh, Damon please." She begged. With that Damon pulled his fingers out and removed his pants and boxers. Elena's eyed widened as she seen his width and length. Damon smirked and then slowly entered her slowly thrusting eyes locked onto hers never leaving. Elena moaned and gasped as Damon thrust into her. Damon grabbed her hands and entwined them with his above her head, and crashed his lips onto hers, as his thrusting picked up speed, and Elena's walls began to clench. Elena pulled away from the kiss gasping for air. Damon then started kissing and sucking on Elena's neck and chest as they each began thrusting faster to their release. Damon locked his eyes with Elena's as he released himself inside of her feeling her cum. Damon laid there on top of Elena staring into her eyes.

"I love you Damon."She whispered

"I love you too, Kat."

Elena's eyes shot open and she jolted up in bed, covered in sweat and breathing heavily, tears sprung to her eyes as she searched her bedroom. When she noticed she was in her bed alone, wearing her pajamas, she realized it was all a dream. It still bothered her and she still had tears in her eyes. She reached over to grab her phone off the table and dialed Damon's number. He answered it after one ring.

"Elena? What is it? What's wrong?" He rushed out.

"No..nothing's wrong, I just had a weird dream and for some reason I just wanted to call you." She replied softly, but Damon could still tell by the sound of her voice she was upset.

"What was it about?"

"Um, nothing I don't want to talk about it right now."

"OK, well just calm down and think about at this time tomorrow well be lying in bed next to each other."

"Ok, what time will you be here?"

"Noon, are you ready to see me again?"

"Yea why wouldn't I be?"

"Just asking, now you need to go back to bed, and get plenty of rest, because when I get there I'm going to want to spend as much time as possible."

"OK, I can't wait to see you."

"Ditto; good night baby."

"Night, Damon."

She hung up feeling a little better, Damon sounded normal and sweet. She told herself it was just her insecurities that were making her think he didn't care about her. She wiped her face and set her phone on her table and pulled the covers over her head and fell asleep thinking about Damon.

**AN:**

**OK there's that I hope you guys like it! And if you'd like you can follow me on twitterrtsgirl51405. I'll be posting pictures of my daughter onset of the short movie on twitter too.**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: I got a lot of story alerts, but hardly any review's . I thought it was one of the best chapters too, thanks to everyone who reviewed and put my story on their alerts! Please let me know if I'm doing good or what, if it sucks ill end it and try another one or try to fix what's wrong. Anyway here's the new chapter! Hope you like it. It's basically just a filler chapter.**

Chapter 4:

DPOV:

Damon had shown up an hour earlier than expected. When he knocked on the door a short girl with green eyes and long red curly hair answered the door.

"Is Elena home?"

"Yea come in she's still sleeping." She replied pointing to her bedroom door.

Damon walked in her room and set his things down on the floor. He walked over and sat down on the edge of the bed next to her and brushed the hair out of her face and lightly dragged the back of his hand down her cheek. Elena sighed and leaned into his touch. Damon chuckled softly, and then bent down to kiss her forehead.

EPOV:

She woke up feeling soft lips against her forehead, when she opened her eyes Damon was sitting right next to her. He was lightly chuckling and smiling at her. She instantly felt like butterflies were flying in her stomach. She sat up and he pulled her into his arms. Elena was relieved that it was nothing close to being like her dream reunion. She could only hope it would stay that way.

"I have something for you." Damon said getting up from the bed he walked over to his bags and pulled out a dozen beautiful red roses with the tips died black. Elena smiled as Damon handed them to her as he sat back down.

"Thanks Damon that was so sweet." She as she smelled them. She leaned in and gave Damon a quick peck on the lips as she got up to put them in a vase. Damon followed her as she walked into her kitchen. As Elena was filling the vase with water Damon came up and wrapped his arms around her resting his chin on her shoulder.

"I really missed you." He whispered in her ear.

"I missed you too." She replied leaning back into his chest.

Her breath hitched in her throat as she felt Damon planting soft kisses on her neck and she turned around in his arms and kissed him on the lips.

"What do you want to do tonight?" She asked.

She watched Damon's expressions closely. He looked as though he was in deep thought.

"How do you feel about dinner and dancing?" He asked with a smirk.

"Perfect!" She said smiling.

Dinner was amazing; Damon took her to a nice restaurant called Stone Eagle. It sat on the cliff of the river and had an outdoor eating patio that hung over the cliff. There was a live band playing soft romantic music and there was white candle that were lit along the patio banister. They had sat at a table by the edge of the patio facing the sunset. Elena thought it was the most beautiful thing she saw. In fact she even made Damon take a picture with her with the sunset in the background. They intended on only being there for two hours, but it turned out to be more like 4. After they had finished dinner they sipped on whine as Damon told Elena about his situation with his dad, and his new job and Elena told him about her job and how she wasn't sure she wanted to do it anymore. She was pretty surprised that he listened and didn't try to give her his opinion like her friends and family had. They didn't understand why she would want to give up something that she used to love passionately and worked so hard to get. Elena didn't really know why but she did know that she wasn't happy with her life and where it was at this moment. She knew she would have to eventually tell Damon about her dream, but she put it on the back burner for now enjoying her short time wit Damon. After all she wasn't sure how much longer she'd have him.

After dinner Damon had taken Elena to Second Cousins. It was a small dance club that Elena used to love to go to. Once Damon paid there entrance fee they found a table in the back by the DJ.

"Go ahead and have a seat I'll go get us some drinks, what do you want?"

"Hmmm, I'll take a bahama mama." She smiled as he shook his head and headed to the bar. A few minutes later he returned to her and handed her her drink. It had been a long time since Elena had drank, and she loved bahama mamas, they were delicious, she just barely stopped herself from gulping the drink down.

"At the rate your going you're going to end up drunk."He smirked.

"I can't help it. It's my favorite drink and it's been so long since I went drinking and dancing. Would it be a problem if I let loose and had fun?" She asked raising her eyebrow.

"No, you can drink all you want. I'll be your DD just in case. I want you to have fun, let loose. I'd love to see how you are that way." He chuckled as she chugged the rest of her drink.

"Do you want to go dance?"He asked.

Elena's cheeks turned pink and she looked away from him.

"I kind of need to have a few drinks in me before I can get the nerve to go out there and dance."

"Elena, if you want another drink all you have to do is ask. I'll be right back."

Damon had been gone for a few minutes when Elena spotted his drink sitting almost full. She reached over and took a swig of it wincing as it burned her throat going down. She was not a whiskey kind of girl; she preferred vodka, or UV blue. When she set it down Damon was back at the table with a drink and a shot. He sat them down in front of her smiling at her. Elena looked at the shot and then back to Damon as she grabbed it.

"How did you know I liked patron?" She smiled

"I just figured you would like it. Plus I know this will get you loose." He chuckled.

Elena laughed and took back the shot of Patron and set the glass back down winking at him. Damon smiled and sat down next her putting his arm around her chair. He grabbed his drink and took a drink setting it back down he looked over at Elena raising an eyebrow.

"Now I know my glass was fuller then this." He said smiling.

All Elena could do was laugh as she finished off her second drink. She then took her jacket off and twisted in towards him.

"I'm sorry, you can't expect to leave your drink and think that I wouldn't take a drink. Usually I'd have it gone before you got back, but I hate whiskey."

"It's ok. You ready to dance yet?"

"No, not yet, I'll be right back I'm going to run to the bathroom."

Elena got up and headed to the bathroom, yes she was breaking the seal. She had forgotten that she had already had three glasses of wine with dinner, and now after two bahama mamas's that certainly had more alcohol than called for, and the shot of patron, she knew she would be a hell of a lot looser after her bathroom break.

DPOV:

_Let's excuse me baby  
Go, yeah you baby  
Back, ooh you groovy baby  
In, let's make a movie baby  
Time, excuse me baby  
Let's, yeah you baby  
Go, ooh you groovy baby  
Back in, let's make a movie baby  
Time_

Elena squealed as she ran over to Damon.

"Come on let's dance I love this song!"

She grabbed Damon's hand and pulled him to the dance floor she instantly began swaying her hips and twirling around Damon.

_It's Mr Worldwide, Agent A, Reporting live  
From Cape Canaveral, MK, Big Syphe, let's ride_

Back, back, in, in, time

Baby, ohhh baby  
Ohhh baby, my sweet baby  
You're the one

Elena began to grind her ass and move her hips up against Damon at this point, his hands roaming her body as he swayed to the music with her. This was quickly becoming Damon's new favorite song. Then she bent over popping her ass against him as his hands held onto her hips, she then slowly rose up turning around and grinding her front on him. Oh how he loved this version of Elena.

They continued dancing for another hour or two. Elena had had a couple more drinks and was beginning to get a little too frisky for a public place. Damon decided it was time to leave. He grabbed her coat and paid the tab, wrapping his arm around her supporting her as they walked out to his car.

On the way back to Elena's house, it took everything in him to keep control of the car while Elena's hands roamed his body. He really didn't want things to go farther when she was drunk off her ass. So he did his best to remain cool and calm when inside he was burning with desire. Every time her hand ran up his thigh to his bulge he'd grab her hand and hold it or kiss it and she would sit there blushing. He knew in her drunken state it was distracting her so he kept doing it. By the time they pulled up to her apartment she had passed out. He picked her up and carried her bridal style into her apartment. He laid her on her bed then removed her shoes and clothes and put one of his t shirts on her and pulled the covers over her. He removed his clothes and jumped in beside her once he was laid down Elena rolled over and snuggle into him and he wrapped his arms around her smiling and kissed her forehead as she mumble his name.

He had been laying there for about an hour or two trying to fall asleep. Things kept running through his head, he knew for a fact he was falling if not already in love with Elena, but had no clue if she was feeling the same. He hated talking about feelings, and since the last time he displayed them he was shattered, he really didn't want to have to go through that again, but for some reason though he couldn't let her go. He knew he had to at least tell her a little about his feelings, and hoped she'd return them. Tonight they had fun tomorrow would be just them and they'd talk about everything.

EPOV:

Elena woke up to the bright sun shine shinning in through her bedroom window. She squinted her eyes and buried her face into Damon's naked chest. It took her a few minutes to realize just how little clothing they were wearing and couldn't remember what exactly happened last night. As she was mentally freaking out Damon tightened his grip on her.

"Morning." He said with a smile.

"Morning."She replied and couldn't help the smile that took over her face.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine, just hungry." She replied with a little giggle.

"That's surprising after how drunk you got last night." He replied chuckling.

"Yea, about that; what exactly happened last night?"

"What do you mean? You don't remember anything?" He asked.

"Yea, I remember everything up to when we got in the car, but I'm talking about the fact that I didn't wear this last night and you were surely more clothed."

"Oh, Lena don't worry nothing like that happened. I wouldn't let it I didn't want out first time together to be while you were drunk. All I did was change your clothes and I swear I didn't even pay attention, I rushed, and I always sleep like this."

"Well thank you for everything last night. I had so much fun, I hadn't drunk like that in months, it felt nice to just let loose and not worry about anything."

"Anytime baby, now you want to go eat breakfast?"

Elena nodded as Damon stood up and went to retrieve his jeans to put on. Elena watch his body the whole time, this was the first time she had seen him this close to naked and in her mind he really was.

"Well are you coming?" He asked raising his eye brow.

Oh if he only knew she thought as she nodded and followed him into the kitchen.

THIRD PERSON POV:

"So what do you want to do?" Elena asked Damon as she brushed her hair.

"Actually I was wanting to talk, if that's ok with you."

"Oh yea, that sounds good." Elena replied trying to keep her voice normal. She knew it was going to be a deep talk, she knew it would happen before he left, but it still made her anxious. She walked over to sit next to Damon on the bed; her hands were starting to shake and Damon must have noticed as he reached out and took her hands into his, and turned his body towards her.

"I just thought we needed to talk, we've been seeing each other for almost 2 months now, and I think we need to sit and talk about what this is. I'm not very good at sharing my feelings, but it's got to be done don't you think?"

"Yea, I guess so." She replied shaking her head.

"I just want you to listen to everything I say, I know some stuff I say might freak you out, but I need to say it. No matter what I say I'm being completely honest and you should too, don't say anything you don't mean even if you're worried the truth will hurt me, ok?"

"I'd never lie to you about anything Damon."

"I'm not completely sure why but ever since I first met you, I felt drawn to you. I couldn't and can't stop thinking about you, and I don't want to. I really care about you, and I'd like to continue this and see where it goes. I know it's kind of soon and I know we're both kind of damaged from our past, but you need to know that I will never hurt you like that intentionally, of course some mistakes will be made, and yes it's possible that things can go bad, but I think it's worth the risk. What about you?"

Elena stared at him as her hands griped his tighter. Everything he had said sinking into her head. She knew he was being honest and she had to too.

"I've felt drawn to you since the beginning too, and I care about you too. I would like to see where we go to, but I'm very insecure, and scared."

"What exactly are you scared about?"

"Katherine."She whispered out

"Katherine? Why are you scared of her?"

"I'm not scared of her, I'm scared that she'll come to her senses and come back to you, and you'll take her back. Or that you still have feelings for her."

"There's no need to be scared of that I don't have any feelings left for her. Katherine and I are over I don't care if she tries to get me back it's not happening, ok? I don't want you to worry about that, there's no need to."

"How do you know?"

"Well I can't really say how I know."

"What do you mean you can't really say? You said we were being honest with each other."

"If I say it, then I might freak you out. I didn't want to go into too much detail about how much I care about you just yet."

"Damon, just tell me already please? I need to know. You tell me and I'll tell you something that I didn't want to tell you."

"Ok, but you're going to freak I know it." Damon studied her after his last comment he could tell she was already starting to panic. "I…I'm pretty sure I'm already falling for you." He rushed out, his eyes never leaving hers. He noticed she relaxed and she squeezed his hands with hers.

"It's ok Damon, I feel the same way." She said with a smile. Damon let out a sigh of relief and smiled back at her.

"Well? Is that what you were going to tell me?"

"No there's a reason I'm scared about the whole Katherine situation. Remember when I called you at three am the other night about a weird dream?" He nodded." Well it wasn't a weird dream it was a bad dream. You had came to visit, and we ended up making love, and after I told you I loved you and you said It back only you said Katherine's name. It felt so real, when I woke up I thought it was. I know it's something stupid to get freaked out about, but it bothered me really bad."

"Why didn't you just tell me to begin with?"

"I don't know, I didn't know how you felt and I didn't want to freak you out. I thought you'd think I was pathetic."

"I'd never think you were pathetic, if it were me I'd be freaked out too, but you need to remember Katherine's nothing to me, and there's no way in hell I can be with you and call you by another woman's name, and I never said that back to her when we were together, I always said ditto or me too. So please just trust me and believe me? We can't let dreams or insecurities get between us or we'll be over before we even got to start."

"You're right, I'm sorry for not talking to you about it and from now on I'll always be honest with you."

"Good, now how about you tell me about that dream now, you know details and all." He said with a smirk while he did his sexy eye thing. Elena giggled and her cheeks turned pink.

"I'm not going to tell you that." She said playfully hitting his arm.

"Ok ok, how about you just show me." He said as he pushed her back on the bed and crushed his lips onto hers.


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Sorry it took so long to update, I'm hitting writers block in this story and the letter. So in this story I might get to the point where I'll do some time jumps. I'm open to any ideas you guys have. Please review and let me know!**

Chapter 5:

Damon pushed Elena back onto the bed and was no hovering over her, his hands wandering all over her body. Elena's hands running through his raven black hair, kissing each other passionately and desperately. Damon broke away trailing kisses down her neck, Elena pulling his shirt over his head and throwing it to the floor. She ran her hands all over his bare torso. Damon pulled her up removing her shirt and bra and trailed more kisses all over her body. He kissed her down to the top of her jeans. He then removed them and her panties tossing them to the floor, standing up to remove his own. He laid back down on top over caressing and kissing her bare skin as he placed himself at her entrance. He began to thrust slowly and gently his eyes never leaving hers. He entwined his hands with hers and pinned them on both sides of her head. As he thrust over and over into her trying to show her how deep he cared for her, how much she truly meant to him. It was the most intense and passion moment they both had ever had. His thrust began to pick up as he could feel her walls begin to clench, and they both eventually came to their release together. Damon laid there looking at her for a few moments not ready to let the intimacy go yet. After a few moments he kissed her and rolled off of her pulling her tightly to his body as they both drifted off to sleep.

3 Months later:

"Elena, I'm not trying to sound like a controlling ass, but we don't get to spend a lot of time together as it is, I'd really like it if you would just stay in and spend it with me. You can go out with your friend's tomorrow night, when I go home."

"Damon, I know we don't get to see a lot of each other, but Wyatt's moving to California Tuesday, there's no other night, he'll be busy packing. Please understand Damon, he's been my friend since I moved out here. He's been there since my first year of college. I would really like to go even if it's only for a few drinks, then I'll come home and we can spend the rest of the night and all day tomorrow together."

"Elena, I can't stay all day. I have a meeting at 8:30 am Monday, and I have to drive to Richmond for it. I have to leave in the morning." Damon looked away and Elena's eye brows furrowed.

"You didn't tell me that. I would have figured something else out, but Damon it's too late they're all expecting me; I have to at least say bye. I might not see him again after this."

Elena tried to control her emotions, but she knew he could tell she was truly upset over the possibility of not saying good-bye to her friend.

"Is there something going on between you two?" He asked seriously.

Elena was taken aback by his question. She had no clue where this had come from.

"Damon, no I told you he's a very good friend of mine, and he has been there for me for a long time. I don't feel anything for him, and we're just friends."

"Really Elena? Are you sure about that?"

"What do you mean am I sure? Of course I'm sure."

"Then why are you more upset about not seeing him, then you are about me?"

"Well, because I see you every weekend Damon, I might not ever see him after this. Maybe talk on the phone or text occasionally, but I'm sure this is the last night we'll see each other."

"How do you know that won't happen with me?" He snapped at her.

_What the hell has gotten up his ass? _

"What are you talking about Damon?"

"I'm talking about the fact that every time I leave and go home there's a huge possibility I won't come back, no matter the reason. Yet you never get upset when I leave and you're more than willing to spend our time with other men!" He yelled.

Elena flinched at him yelling. Every argument they ever got in Damon had not yelled, only raised his voice slightly. She had no clue what had gotten him so mad.

"What? Damon, you know I hate it when you leave. I always beg you to stay, and its one man, and he's only my friend. And what the hell do you mean you might not come back!"

"I mean anything can happen. I could realize that this isn't working out and just not come back, or a hundred other things." He spat out.

"Damon you know how I feel about you!"

"Yea Elena, you told me how you feel about me. I don't want you to go tonight."

"Damon, why the hell are you being so jealous? We are just friends!"

"Elena, I'm not jealous, I'm sorry but I want to spend time with you. Look Elena, I didn't want to say anything yet, but I'm not going to be able to come back out here for a few weeks, I'm not sure when. I have a couple huge popular cases, and if I can win them then I'll have more credentials for when I open up my own law firm."

"I didn't know you wanted to open up your own law firm."

"Yea, well you never ask, come to think of it I don't think you have ever asked about my work."

"Damon that's great, I'm happy for you. I don't ask about work for the same reason I don't talk about my work, we have better things to do then talk about each other's careers. Look why don't you come with me and we'll only stay for an hour tops, promise!"

"OK, fine let's go."

3 weeks later:

Damon and Elena still hadn't been able to see each other, but they talked on the phone, a lot less than they did before though. Damon's cases had taken over his every moment; he was staying at his office in Richmond every night during the week, and would only take one day off to rest. Elena had actually gotten the chance to write a book for a publisher so she had been consumed in her novel. They both missed each other deeply, but both of them were busy with work. Neither of them thinking what they had was worth putting their careers on the back burner.

But finally Elena had a break and was able to go see Damon. She was driving down the high way listening to 'We are young'. When she heard her phone go off, she reached the seat to retrieve it, but she couldn't reach it so she glanced at the seat for only a moment when she heard squealing tires and a loud crash and then everything went black.

It had been 4 hours since he had last heard from Elena, and he was getting worried. She was only 2 hours away from Mystic Falls, and she wasn't answering her phone. He called everyone asking if they had heard from her but nothing. All Damon could do was pace back and forth, he knew something was wrong. His phone started ringing and he flew to the table to answer it.

"Hello?"

"Damon, uh Jenna just got a call from St. Anthony's in Norfolk. Elena was in a bad accident, it's not looking good Damon you need to get down here now."

Damon swallowed the lump in his throat and felt his eyes begin to get teary.

"I…ok I'll be right there call me if anything changes!"

He threw on his jacket grabbed his wallet and keys and ran out of the house in his way to the hospital. He was so worried and scared. As he sped down the highway all he could do was pray that he got there and she was fine.

Damon made there in a little over an hour speeding the whole way there, he ran through the hospital doors in search of Jenna or Ric, but couldn't spot them he ran up to the reception desk where he seen a nurse.

"Excuse me; I need to know where I go for Elena Gilbert."

"Are you family?"

"No, I'm her boyfriend but her aunt and uncle are here and I can't find them. I just want to know where to find them."

"Ok, let me see what I can find."

After a few minutes of her looking at her computer Damon anxiously stood there. He had tried Ric's phone several times but no answer, he was beyond worried now.

"They must not have updated yet sir; I can't find anything on her."

"What? Are you sure? Look her uncle said it was bad, I don't have time to wait I have to find her."

"All I can tell you is surgeries on the 2nd floor, ICU is on the 3rd, and emergency is on the 1st. I suggest you go look in those areas."

Damon rolled his eyes and took off towards the emergency room, no one. He then went to the 2nd floor where he ran into Jeremy and Bonnie.

"Where the hell is she?"Damon choked out painting for air as he bent over on his knees.

"Damon calm down, you're on the right floor come over sit by Jenna and Ric and Jenna will tell you." Bonnie replied while she softly rubbed his back.

Damon, Bonnie and Jeremy walked over to the chairs where Jenna, Ric, and Caroline were sitting. He sat next to Jenna and put his head in his hands.

"What happened? How is she?" Damon asked. He heard Jenna sniffle and a soft little sob escaped her lips before she spoke.

"They're not sure exactly what happened, but she must have been distracted and didn't see the truck swerve onto her side of the road. Her car T-boned it, she was trapped under the steering wheel; she was in and out of consciousness the whole time. She lost a lot of blood, has cuts from the glass all over, a few big wounds on her forehead, arm and chest, broken several ribs, bruised her lung, broke her arm, ruptured spleen, and now she has internal bleeding and there doing surgery to find out what it is. They won't tell me her chances. They just keep saying their doing her best." Jenna started crying again and Bonnie and Caroline followed. Damon wasn't sure what to do. He felt helpless; it was tearing him apart thinking that he might not see her again, that she wouldn't make it through this. He was kicking himself in the ass for saying those words to her the last time he was at her house. He should have just told her that he loved her, and would never leave, but he was a stupid dumb ass and said shit he didn't mean. He swallowed the lump in his throat, and tried to hold back his tears, only a few were able to escape.

"How long has she been in there? Did they say how long it would take?"

"She went in 5 minutes before I called you, they didn't say how long it would be."

"Mrs. Saltzman?"

All heads shot up to the doctor who entered the room.

"Yes." Jenna said stand up with Ric holding her arm.

"She made it through the surgery, and it was her appendix, we removed it. She's still not out of the woods; she has some pretty bad injuries, and we're still not sure about her head trauma. I need to tell you that there is a possibility that she'll go into a coma we won't know until her anesthesia wares off.

"Can we see her?" Jenna asked.

"Yes, 2 at a time though."

Jenna and Ric went in first, but Jenna could hardly take seeing Elena like that so she was only in there for 15 minutes, before leaving the room bawling in hysterics. Bonnie and Jeremy went next, they were in there for a while and Damon was getting anxious he wanted to see her. Finally Jeremy was ushering Bonnie out of the room her in tears too. Damon looked at Caroline and patted her back with his hand. They walked towards the door, and Damon could tell Caroline was scared and nervous, she reached out and grabbed his hand. He didn't have the heart to ignore it, she was as scared as him and she needed comfort, so he squeezed her hand.

When they entered the room they automatically gasped at the sight. Neither of them had ever seen Elena like this, and they hated it. Caroline bit back a sob and Damon squeezed her hand, while he whipped tears away from his cheeks with the other. They walked over to the bed and sat down in the chairs next to her bed, Damon took her hand and brought it to his lips and kissed her knuckles and held her hand while Caroline sat there and watched them. She could see how much Damon cared about Elena.

"Damon, she'll be ok. She's strong she'll make it, she won't leave us." Caroline whispered, but Damon only nodded. A few minutes later he spoke up.

"I fucked up Caroline. I love her, I love her so much, but I was a chicken shit and didn't want to say it to her. Now she might not ever know." His voice was soft but she could hear the heartbreak in it.

"God, Elena I love you so much baby, please stay." He whispered.


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: Thanks to everyone who reviewed and put this story on their alerts! I was hoping nobody would get mad or bored with it! I have some ideas of what to go on next in the story, but if you guys have any ideas let me know! Anyway, so here it is I hope you guys like it! Please review!**

**Chapter 6:**

Elena had been in a coma for almost a week now; Damon was always by her side. No one could get him to leave, he had arranged an extension on the cases he was working on, there was no way he could leave her now. Damon was sitting in his usual seat right next to Elena's bed. Jeremy, Ric and Bonnie were sitting in chairs around the room waiting, it had become routine.

The door opened and in walked Jenna she walked over and sat next to Ric, putting her hand on his thigh.

"Dr. Stevens will be in shortly." She said softly.

Everyone looked at the floor, but Damon he stared at Elena hoping they'd get good news. It felt like hours, but was really only a few minutes before Dr. Stevens came in. He checked on Elena and read from the chart in his hands before he turned towards Jenna.

"Elena's been in a coma longer than we thought she would, so we would like to run some test make sure everything's running smoothly. Now it's not uncommon for patients to be in commas this long, but we didn't think the head trauma was that bad. We just want to see where we're at."

"Ok, when are you going to do this and how long will it take?" Jenna asked.

"We'll be starting the test in the next 15 minutes or so, and we'll have some results back tonight and the rest tomorrow." Dr. Stevens replied.

Jenna nodded as Dr. Stevens left and 3 nurses came into the room and prepared Elena to leave the room. Damon kissed Elena's forehead and hand and stood there watching the nurses wheel her out.

"Well I'm going to go grab something to eat quick do you guys want to join?" Jenna asked.

Everyone nodded in agreement and everyone including Damon headed out to the nearest fast food place to grab a quick bite.

Four hours later:

Everyone had returned back to the hospital and were sitting around the room waiting for them to wheel Elena back in after her tests were done.

"Damon, maybe you should go home and get back to work. Ric told me about those big cases you were on and how much they meant to you." Jenna said softly.

"I should, but I can't leave Elena now. She's more important than my career. I've already made that mistake." Damon replied.

Jenna nodded, not knowing what to say to that. She knew what he was talking about and didn't blame him one bit, she'd be the same way if it were her. Before anyone could say anything the nurses returned to the room wheeling Elena in, and Damon again grabbed a hold of her hand. Jenna sighed and s small smile appeared on her face. She could tell how much Damon loved Elena, and it was breaking her heart seeing how sad and lost he looked. She was happy that her niece had finally found someone, now she hoped and prayed that Elena would wake up and everything would be fine. Jenna's thoughts were interrupted by her cell phone ringing.

"Hello?" She said.

"Hey Jenna, how's Elena?"

"Hey Car, same nothing's changed so far. They ran some test earlier and we're waiting on the results."

"Ok, well I got some time off so I'll be heading back out there tonight, I should be thereby midnight."

"Ok, Car, see you then, be careful. Bye"

"Bye"

Jenna hung up the phone just as Dr. Steven's stepped in.

"Well, we got some results back, and so far everything's looking good. She has brain activity, just a little bruising, but I feel I do need to tell you what to expect and the possibilities of what can happen."

Jenna nodded and swallowed hard. Damon's eyes hadn't left Elena once and she noticed he was now stroking her cheek with his other hand. Her eyes starting to get watery and she swallowed the lump in her throat, she tried to respond to Dr. Steven's but couldn't get anything to come out so she just nodded for him to go on.

"Now, there's no way of telling when she'll wake up, and there's a chance that she won't remember anything, it could be big pieces of her life, it could just be the accident, or even whole parts of her life. It could be permanent it could be temporary. She also might have some brain damage from the head trauma, there's also a possibility that she won't wake up."

At that last comment, Jenna and Bonnie lost it. RIc stood up and Jenna turned her body and wrapped her arms around him as she sobbed into his chest.

"How big of a chance is it that she won't wake up?"Ric asked.

"I really can't give a percentage, or a time frame. Some people can be in comas for years and then wake up. All we can do is watch her and wait." Dr. Steven's replied.

"Ok, yea thank you." Ric replied not knowing what else to say.

He held Jenna trying to comfort her, knowing if he lost it, he wouldn't be any help to anyone. He looked around the room and saw everyone he loved, everyone that loved Elena falling apart. They couldn't give up; he had to get them to think positively.

"Hey, guys we need to calm down. We all know how strong Elena is she's a fighter, and she's stubborn, and we all know how she doesn't like to hurt the people she loves. We need to think positively. We can't give up." Ric said as he waited for someone to snap.

But it never came Jenna, calmed down and when he looked around the only person that still looked like they were about to die, was Damon. Ric knew nothing he said could help his friend. So he just sighed and kept trying to comfort Jenna.

"Should we call Caroline and tell her or wait until she gets here?" Bonnie whispered.

"Maybe we should wait until she gets here." Jeremy replied.

By the time Caroline had gotten to the hospital, Damon, Jenna and Ric were the only ones in the room. Bonnie and Jeremy had left to go get a few hours of sleep. Caroline walked into the room and went and kissed Elena on the forehead and held her other hand that Damon wasn't holding.

"How are you doing Damon?" She whispered.

"I don't know Caroline. I just.. I wish I could do something, anything she didn't deserve any of this." Damon replied.

Caroline sighed.

"Of course she didn't Damon, I know it's hard but we have to stay strong Elena won't like it if were falling apart when she wakes up."

When she said that she saw his face drop and his eyes were really watery.

"Damon, what's wrong?" She asked as she walked over to him.

"They um… They said that they don't know when she'll wake up, and she might not remember stuff and it might be temporary or permanent….They also said she might not even wa..wake " He finally managed to get out.

Caroline gasped and bent down on her knees in front of Damon. A few tears ran down her cheeks as she reached up to grab Damon's hands, he turned towards her and looked at her.

"Damon, I… uh" She tried figuring out how to word what she was about to say.

"OK, we both know Elena, we both know she's going to fight, she doesn't want to leave us. She definitely doesn't want to leave you, especially since you guys just found each other. She'll wake up Damon, I know it. We just got to wait and fight for her right now." She finally got out.

"I know Caroline, but I didn't do things right by her. The last few weeks, I made my career a priority. I was being selfish, I didn't know how we would end up, and I didn't want to chance losing my career. We were fighting over stupid things, and we stopped speaking as much as we used to. I was being stupid; I should have put her first. I shouldn't have tried to piss her off, I should have kept my mouth shut and not start fights of stupid bull shit." As he said that he finally let a few tears fall down his cheek.

"No one can possibly know when something like this is going to happen. You can't blame yourself. What you and Elena had been through in past relationships, I understand how you were being. Look Damon you might not have told her, but I'm sure she knows that your feelings are deeper. I know she understood about your career Damon. You guys didn't expect to fall in love, it happened. Now all you can do is wait and tell her everything you told me when she wakes up, and I say when because she is going to wake up. Until then you know I'm here for you."

"Thank you Caroline, I know. You're really a good friend you know that? Just don't tell anyone I said that." He replied and let his smirk appear for the first time in days.

"Not a chance." She replied smiling.

AN: I know its short, but I wanted to give you guys an update, so I figured short is better than nothing. I'm also looking for a beta if anyone's interested let me know! Please review? Let me know what you think! Also if you want you can follow me on twitter rtsgirl51405


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: sorry it's taking me so long to update! I have been kind of busy since schools out for my kids now. So on both my stories I'm not getting too many reviews, but I am getting a load of alerts and favorites, so I guess I should take that as I'm doing good? I hope so! So if I keep going as slow with the story as I am this story will turn into a 40 something chapter story, so I will be having more time jumps throughout the story. So of course you had to have noticed that a lot of my characters are OOC, and I did that on purpose, I've read a lot of OOC stories and I love them, but I wanted to do something different. In my story they have both been burnt pretty bad, and there is a lot more to their past relationships than I have wrote, so be looking for that. There will be a lot of stupid fights over stuff that is seriously stupid, and reactions to things will be slightly on the over reacting side, but their human, burnt, broken, and obviously Damon and Elena so nothing is easy for them. Anyway I hope you guys like it! Please review? Also if you are an author reading my story let me know so I can return the favor by reading your stories! **

**Thanks! Nikki.**

**Chapter 7:**

It had been 2 weeks since Dr. Stevens ran tests on Elena, and 3 weeks since the accident. She still had not woken up. Damon was by her side every day only leaving for lunch and dinner with Jenna or Ric. He had arranged for a colleague to present his cases in court, and did his paper work from the hospital. Dr. Stevens kept telling them everything was normal, and as long as her heart was beating and there was brain activity they shouldn't worry, but of course they all did.

It was Friday the end of the third week, Damon hate it. He followed his routine as usual working at the small little TV table tray Ric had bought for him, sitting next to Elena's bed. He'd work for a couple hours in the morning and in the evening, but the rest of his time was spent with Elena.

Damon was sitting in his chair next to Elena, after putting his work away. He was holding her hand and softly rubbing her hand with his other hand. Every day he wished she would wake up. He didn't even care about what could be wrong, all he wanted was for her to be awake, he's deal with everything else later as long as she was awake and better. He kissed her hand and laid his head down on their joined hands.

Ric walked into the Elena's hospital room to check on Damon. He was supposed to meet Jenna and him at the café around the corner for lunch 45 minutes ago, but never showed up. When he walked in he saw Damon sleeping with his head resting on their hands. He walked over and gently shook his shoulder, Damon's head snapped up.

"You never showed up so I came to check on you." Ric said.

"Sorry, I must have fallen asleep; I haven't been sleeping well lately." Damon replied stretching out his arms and yawning.

"I don't doubt it. Look you need to get out for a little bit, why don't we go down to the café or to the bar and grill just us two, Jenna will stay here with Elena, and let us know if anything happens." Ric said.

"I guess you're right." Damon replied nodding his head.

Jenna walked in Elena's room as Damon was putting his belongings away underneath the rollaway bed he'd been sleeping on. She grabbed a book from the bedside table and sat down to read it, as Ric and Damon left the room. She read her book out loud to Elena, being told by Dr. Stevens that she can still hear what's going on around her; she's been reading to her every chance she got. After a few minutes she heard a noise that she couldn't quit place, she put her book down and glanced around the room, not finding anything she went back to reading her book. A few minutes later she heard the noise again, but still couldn't figure out what it came from, so she again went back to reading. Then she seen something move out of the corner of her eye, and she then put the book down and walked up to Elena's bed. Curious she too Elena's hand and squeezed it, knowing she was being ridiculous, that she wouldn't get a response but she just had to see. As she figured no response, she kissed Elena's hand giving it one more squeeze before laying her hand down, and then she felt it. Elena's hand squeezed Jenna's back. Tears weld up in Jenna's eyes. She squeezed Elena's hand again.

"Elena? Can you hear me sweetie?"Jenna asked.

Elena's grip tightened.

"Can you open your eyes honey?" Jenna asked as a few tears slid down her cheeks.

Elena's grip loosened and then tightened again, and her eyes were squinting.

"Hang on honey I'm going to go get the doctor!" Jenna rushed out the door and ran up to the nurses' station.

"I need someone my niece she squeezed my hand she's responding to me!" She squealed out.

The nurse jumped up and yelled for another nurse to get Dr. Stevens and rushed to Elena's room, Jenna grabbed her cell phone and selected Ric's number.

: Jenna: Elena's responding get here now.

Damon and Ric were sitting at the bar eating there burgers and taking sips of their coke's. They sat there in silence, not knowing what to speak about. Ric knew that this was taking a toll on Damon, and that he was slowly losing hope.

"What if she doesn't wake up Ric?" Damon whispered.

Ric was thrown off with the question let alone the fact that Damon was speaking. He wasn't sure what he should say.

"Damon, you kind of sound like you're giving up already." Ric said.

"No." he replied shaking his head. "No, I'm not giving up; I don't think I could ever give up."

"I don't know Damon, I'm sure she'll wake up, I'm more worried about her memory." Ric replied softly.

"Right, I'm not sure how I'd handle that, but I will be happy that she's at least awake." Damon replied.

The two fell in silence again when Ric's phone buzzed. He pulled it out of his pocket and read the message twice not believing what he was reading. He replied shut his phone and turned to Damon.

"That was Jenna, Damon. Elena's responding. We got to go." Ric said. Before Ric could even pull his wallet out to pay for their food Damon was out of the building and heading towards the hospital.

Jenna stood behind Dr. Steven's and the nurse while they checked on Elena. Anxiously waiting to hear what Dr. Steven's had to say, after a few minutes of Dr. Steven's checking Elena over, he wrote in her chart and turned to Jenna.

"I'll leave you two alone. She should be waking up soon; it seems she's finally coming around." He said smiling as he and the nurse left the room.

Jenna nodded and walked up to Elena's bed. She grabbed Elena's hand and squeezed it and Elena squeezed back again.

"Elena, can you please open your eyes for me?" Jenna asked almost pleading.

After a few moments, Elena's eyes began to flutter open, and her hand tightened in Jenna's. Once she had her eye's open, she blinked and looked around the room, confused. She looked back at Jenna.

"Wh..what ha..happened, wh..where am I?" She asked Jenna.

"Do you remember me?" Jenna asked.

"Of course I do, you're my aunt, Jenna." Elena replied. Jenna let out her breath in relief, Elena noticed.

"Aunt Jenna what's going on?" Elena asked.

Jenna looked at her took a deep breath and prepared for the long explanation.

"Elena!" Damon yelled out as he busted threw the door.

Elena's eyes locked with his and she saw his eyes brimming with tears. She had no clue what was going on, but she gathered from their reactions it wasn't good. Damon walked over to her bed, a smile appearing on his face as a few tears had fallen down his cheek.

Damon was cautious he wasn't sure, if she remembers or not. As he approached her bed, he couldn't help but smile. He reached out to grab her hand, and to his relief she didn't pull away.

"Do you remember me?" He asked her shyly.

Elena looked at him and shook her head.


	8. Chapter 8

**AN: Ok I'm so sorry for chapter 7's update, I accidently put the letter chapter 7 instead of take my breath away chapter 7. So I don't think I'll be updating at 2:30 am anymore. I think I lost some readers because of that issue, so I decided to update as soon as possible to get them back! I hope you like it, I'm also thinking about writing my own story on . If you're interested I'll let you know. Anyway please review? Also read small AN at the end.**

**Chapter 8:**

Damon smiled in relief and a tear fell from his eyes. Elena reached up to wipe it away.

"Why wouldn't I remember you? And what's wrong why are you crying?" Elena asked confused.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Jenna asked.

Elena looked at her confused.

"I was working; I went home and packed to go see Damon." She replied.

Damon looked at Jenna, then back at Elena and squeezed her hand.

"Baby, you were in a bad accident." Damon said. Elena stared at him for a few minutes then she blinked, she swallowed thickly and nodded her head.

"Ok, how bad?" She choked out.

"You've been in a coma for 3 weeks, baby." Damon replied.

Elena gasped and her eyes got watery, tears just at the brim.

"Am I ok? Was there anything else that happened to me?" She asked.

Jenna shook her head.

"No sweetie, your fine now." Jenna replied.

"Then why was I in a comma? If I was fine, I wouldn't have been in a comma." Elena replied with slight panic to her voice.

"You lost a lot of blood, and had cuts from the glass all over, a few big wounds on your forehead, arm and chest, you broke several ribs, bruised your lung, broke your arm, ruptured your spleen, and you had internal bleeding so they did surgery to find out what it was, but during the surgery they found that it was just your ruptured spleen. Most of your injuries are almost healed." Damon explained.

"Dr. Stevens will be in here shortly to go over everything else with us." Ric said as he walked in the door.  
~~

"Hi, Elena my I'm Dr. Stevens." He said as he approached her bed.

"Hi." Elena replied.

Dr. Steven's and a nurse began to check Elena's stats.

"Everything's looking good Elena. Do you remember what happened?" He asked.

Elena shook her head no.

"No, but Damon and my aunt told me." She replied.

"Ok, and did that make you remember anything about the accident?"

"No, actually I can't remember anything past Thursday night." She replied.

"Ok, so its sounding like you have a type of amnesia called repressed memory. Basically you can't remember anything about the accident and some events leading up to it. There is a chance you can gain some or all of those memories back and there's a chance you won't. Now are you sure that's all you don't remember?" He said.

"Yes, I'm sure." She replied.

Dr. Steven's nodded his head.

"Ok, so I'm sure someone has filled you in on your injuries, and how long you have been in the coma. Do you have any questions about that?"

"Yes, I was told. I'm wondering if there's anything major that I would have to worry about throughout my life, like any major injuries that I will still have issues with."

"No, they will heal. Of course there's a chance of scaring from your injuries and surgery, and you will be in recovery for a couple months at least. Your injuries are healed pretty well, but your broken arm and ribs will take a little while to heal correctly, and your lung was bruised so you will have some pain with breathing. You also had surgery on your abdomen so you still have to recover from that."

"Wait, so how long will I be out of work?"

"Well, I can't give you a definite time frame, but with the healing and rehab I'd say at the least 2 more months."

"Are you serious? I can't do that I have a job and an apartment."

"Elena, you were in a serious car wreck. You barely made it; it is not possible for you to be released back to work without your body being healed and ready."

Elena nodded her head.

"I didn't realize it was that bad." She whispered out.

Dr. Steven's nodded his head.

"Now, do you have any more questions?"

"Yes, when can I get out of here?" She asked with a slight chuckle.

"As long as everything goes ok, we can have you released in a week or two. We will come and talk to you about rehab and follow up appointments a few days before your release." He said smiling.

"Thank you Dr. Stevens."

Elena was being released from the hospital in two days, and still had no clue what she was going to do.

There was no she would be able to keep her apartment, already being out of work for over a month, and she still had another month or two at that. Damon stayed with her at the hospital only leaving to give Elena girl time with Jenna, Caroline, or Bonnie; or having test done. He still had not told her he loved her. She had been kind of distant when she first woke up, and only recently started coming back around. He wasn't sure where she stood, so instead he settled with letting her know how much he missed her. He also didn't know that girl time involved Elena talking about her feelings about Damon and she too did not know where he stood. Caroline had told her they needed to sit down and talk about everything when she got settled. Elena agreed.

"So Jenna, I was thinking about going back to Mystic Falls when I get released." Elena said.

"That's wonderful Elena!" Jenna replied.

"Would you mind if I stayed with you for a little bit?"

"Of course honey. You are always welcome there." Jenna replied.

A few minutes later a nurse walked in with her hands full of paperwork.

"Hi, Elena I'm nurse Sue Evans. I'm here to get all your paperwork in order for your release and rehab."

Elena nodded and smiled.

"Actually I'm going to be going back to Mystic Falls when I get released. Can we arrange for my rehab and follow ups to be there?" She asked.

"Of course, I'll just fill everything out and we'll get everything ready for you."

That night everyone had left, and Elena was dozing in and out as Damon had entered the room. He walked over and kissed her on her forehead.

"Hey, baby. How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Good, I was wondering where you were?" She replied smiling.

"Sorry, Ric kept me a little longer then I thought. What did I miss?"He asked taking his seat next to her bed.

"A lot actually, I'm getting discharged the day after tomorrow." She smiled.

"That's great baby." He replied grabbing her hand and kissing it.

"I also decided to move back home."

"Really?" He replied voice full of excitement.

"Yes, I was wondering if you could help me with packing and moving."

"Of course baby, don't worry about it."He replied.

**AN: so lots of you thought I was going to have Elena loose all her memory, but I couldn't do that. I have bigger things planned out later in the story. This is just a filler chapter I got kind of stuck and I felt the hospital was taking too much time. There will be a big time jump next chapter so I can get this story finally going, and it will get going pretty fast too!**


	9. Chapter 9

**An: SO sorry for the long wait for an update, I hit a major writer's block with my stories, and I actually ended up putting the letter on a long hiatus for now. I'm hoping it won't happen with this one, I'm devoting all my time to this story. Hopefully soon I'll be able to finish the letter soon. I hope you like it! Please review?**

**Chapter 9:**

: 1 month later:

"So, how are you liking being back in Mystic Falls?" Caroline asked Elena as Elena got into her car,

"Actually, it's like I never left."

"Oh yea, and how are you and Damon doing?"

Elena blushes as she smiles.

"Very good."

"So have you guys had the talk yet?"

"Um, kind of not a full blown talk, but we know where we stand. We know we care about each other and we want to be together."

"Care? Really just care?"

"Car, you know how I feel about him; you know I love him, I'm just not sure if it's the time yet. I don't want to spook him."

"Oh, I don't think you'll spook him…"

"What?"

"Nothing we're here better hurry up and get you to rehab!"

Before Elena could respond Caroline was out the door and at Elena's side pulling her out the door.

All day Elena had tried to figure out what Caroline had meant. She had to have known something but despite Elena's constant questioning Caroline still denied anything. Frustrated she grabbed a change of clothes and went to the bathroom to take a shower before Damon picked her up to go to the Grill.

"So how was rehab?"

"Oh it was good, they said only 4 more visits and I'll be all good! I have a doctor's appointment Monday so I'll know then if I can get a job."

"That's good; I bet you'll be happy to get all of this behind us."

Elena smiled at hearing him say 'us'.

"Yea, I will be."

"Good, because this no sex thing is getting old!" Damon raised his eyebrows as he chuckled.

Elena slapped his shoulder.

"I'm kidding; you know that's not all I'm here for, you know I love you."

Damon tensed; he couldn't believe he let it slip. Elena's eyes grew wide.

"What?"

"I didn't mean for it to come out like that."

"But did you mean it?"

Damon's got the tight feeling in the pit of his stomach. He only had two options: lie or come clean tell the truth and risk her not returning the same feelings.

He couldn't lie to her. He cleared his throat.

"Yes, Elena I mean it. I love you. You don't have to say anything back though it's ok."

Elena smiled nodding her head.

"Well, looks like we have a problem then, Damon."

Damon flinched.

"See, because I love you too."She said smiling.

Damon let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

"You do?" His tone full of shock, Elena laughed.

"Yes, Damon I do, why do you sound so surprised?"

"I don't know I guess I just never thought someone like you would love me."

"Well, someone like me does love you, stop saying things like that."

Damon tried to respond but before he could they were interrupted.

"Well, hello Damon."

Damon cringed at the voice.

"Katherine….what do you want?"

"Oh, so rude. Well I was just going to grab a quick bite, and saw you sitting over here with your little friend, and thought I would say hi."

"She's not my friend, she's my girlfriend."

"Oh? I didn't know you had a girlfriend, I saw you a few months ago and you didn't mention it to me."

Damon flinched; he had forgotten to tell Elena he had run into her.

"Yea, well I was too busy trying to get you to leave my office than to make small talk."

Damon looked at Elena and saw her worried expression.

"Look Katherine you said, even though I could care less. Now I'm busy with my girl now so you can leave."

"Are you always this rude to woman you love?"

Fucking Katherine just had to play her games. He was quickly losing his patience with her, and was worried Katherine's plan was working.

"No, only rude to woman I can't stand. Now leave your games won't work here."

"And what game would that be Damon?

"Your little plan to get Elena upset isn't going to work. Bye Katherine."

"Hmmm, well I guess you know me to well. See you around Damon."

Damon stared at Elena as she watched Katherine walk out the door.

"When did you run into her?"

"She came into my office a few days before I went to see you for the first time. She was only in the office for a few minutes and I kicked her out. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but I just forgot about it."

"And you didn't tell her about me?"

"No, I guess I was too busy arguing with her."

Elena cleared her throat.

"I see." She replied nodding her head.

"Elena, I haven't lied to you yet, and I'm not going to start, I seriously forgot. She came in my office wanting to get back together, and I told her I didn't want her and I moved on and that she needed to leave and she did, but not before saying she'd see me again."

"But why would she say things like that?"

"Katherine's a manipulative bitch, who's used to getting her way. She doesn't care; she heard that I'm making good money and that I quit working for my father. All she wants is the money and power, and she had both with me when we were together. She plays games and she plays them dirty, not caring who she hurts in the process. All she cares about is herself."

"If she's so bad then why were you with her to begin with? How could you love someone like her and then love someone like me?"

"She wasn't like that when I first met her. She played me; she let me believe she was someone different. A year into the relationship she started showing her true self, and I was too in love or so I thought I was that I just couldn't see it."

"What do you mean you thought you were in love with her?"

"I thought I was, I probably at one point loved her, but after I left her I realized I wasn't in love with her. It took me a few months to realize it, but I did. I don't regret it though."

"Why is that?"

"Well then I wouldn't have met you most likely. I'm pretty happy with where I am."

"Me too, but what about Katherine, if she's really up to something she'll keep coming back."

"We don't worry about her right now, we focus on us. We'll deal with her when she starts her shit again. We can't let her get in between us, that's what she wants to do."

"Ok, we'll focus on us."

**AN: Please review? I am going to let you all know now, that I am taking my time with this story, and it won't be rushed to the next event just to get I tout, so I hope you guys enjoy it and will stick with it.**

**Thank you!**

**nickie**


	10. Chapter 10

**AN: So thank you to everyone for the reviews and the story alerts! I'm glad you all liked it. I didn't get as many reviews as usual, but I guess if I was doing badly my story wouldn't be getting favorite alerts. This is mainly filler chapter with lots of Delena. So here's the next chapter, hope you like it!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own TVD or any TVD characters.**

**Chapter: 10**

It had been two weeks since their encounter with Katherine, and they hadn't heard or seen her since. Damon knew she wouldn't stay away long, she was waiting for the perfect opportunity. They both agreed to not let her hold them back. Elena was finally able to return to work she decided to do something different for a while, so she decided to get a job as bartender at the grill. Working for Matt was a little weird, but she found it oddly fun.

Damon's career on the other hand took off. He had one both of the huge cases he was working on, and his firm's reputation was quickly rising. He still refused to devote all his time to work; he simply could not bring himself to spend less time with Elena.

Elena entered the little café and looked around for Caroline or Bonnie. Caroline asked that she meet Bonnie and her there for some 'girl' time. Elena couldn't bring herself to decline. Once she spotted her friends she walked over to join them.

"I already ordered you a drink." Caroline said.

"Thanks."

"So what's the big news?" Elena asked.

Caroline beamed and let out a little giggle.

"Well, I got the promotion!"

Caroline squealed followed by Elena and Bonnie.

"That's great Car! Congrats!"

"But there is some bad news. I kind of have to move to Chicago."

"Seriously?"

"Yes, don't get me wrong I'm happy extremely happy. I'm just going to be upset that I have to leave home, and won't be as close to you guys."

"Well, as long as you're happy. What about Tyler?" Elena asked.

"He's fine with it. He's going to get transferred out there. We're going to live together!"

"Wow, that's great! When are you leaving?"

"Friday, so I have to start packing like tomorrow. I also have to look for an apartment, but I can do that on line so I should be able to have at least a few days to spend just us girls!"

The following days Elena spent her time helping Caroline pack and spent time with her before Caroline had to leave. During this time the only time she saw Damon, was when him and Tyler would stop by to see how things were going or when Tyler would supposedly have to ask Caroline a question which was usually something stupid like 'hey do you remember where I put my grey wife beater.' It was usually painfully obvious that the boys just missed their girls.

The night before Caroline and Tyler were to leave the three couples had a get together at the boarding house. They weren't sure when they would be able to have one again.

Caroline and Elena were dancing their asses off, and at this point they were spilling more than they were drinking.

"Baby, its 1:30 a.m. our plane leaves at 12:15 I think we should head to bed." Tyler says as he takes her drink and sets it on the table.

Caroline pouted as Tyler grabbed her things.

"See you later guys."

Tyler yelled as they walked out the door.

Damon leaned against the wall watching Elena continue to dance around in circles, giggling and singing along with the song.

The music came to a halt; Elena stopped and looked at the stereo.

"Why did you turn it off?"

Damon didn't reply as he turned away from her and messed with the stereo.

A few seconds later a slow soft melody filled the room. Elena looked at Damon questioningly as he slowly walked over to her. Once he stood in front of her he pulled her into him, Elena wrapped her arms around Damon's neck and Damon wrapped his arms around her waist and they began to sway around the room.

'_Watching every motion in my foolish lover's game  
On this endless ocean finally lovers know no shame  
Turning and returning to some secret place inside  
Watching in slow motion as you turn around and say_

Take my breath away '

"I wanted to dance with my girl" He whispered in her ear.

Elena smiled and kissed his cheek.

'_Watching I keep waiting still anticipating love  
Never hesitating to become the fated ones  
turning and returning to some secret place to hide  
Watching in slow motion as you turn to me and say_

Take my breath away'

Damon was softly singing along with the song into Elena's ear, sending chills down her spine.

"Do you remember this song?"

She looked at him and nodded.

"Yes, It was the first song we danced to at Jenna and Ric's wedding. I can't believe you remembered that"

'_Through the hourglass I saw you, in time you slipped away  
when the mirror crashed I called you, and turned to hear you say  
If only for today I am unafraid_

Take my breath away'

"Why wouldn't I remember it?"

"You're a guy, sorry but usually they don't remember those sort of things."

"Oh, well usually I wouldn't, but that night you seriously did take my breath away, Ironic that that was the song they was playing isn't it?"

Elena giggled and nodded.

"Well, you had the same effect on me, so I guess it was meant to be our song."

Damon smiled and they continued dancing around the living room, staring into each other's eyes.

'_Watching I keep waiting still anticipating love  
Never hesitating to become the fated ones  
turning and returning to some secret place to hide  
Watching in slow motion as you turn to me and say_

Take my breath away'

"I love you so much." Damon whispered to her.

His expression was so raw and intense that it almost caused her to cry. She knew that he was being honest with her. She smiled at him and cupped his cheek.

"I love you so much too Damon."

Elena's lips crashed onto Damon's. Damon's hands began roaming her body as she pulled away to breath their noses still touching.

"Move in with me?" He whispered.

Elena was stunned. Did he really just ask her to move in with him?

"What?"

"Move in with me." He spoke a little louder.

Elena's mouth dropped as she stared into his eyes. He was drop dead serious.

And it sent her head spinning, her breathing picked up as her heart beat began to race.


	11. Chapter 11

**AN: Thank you so much for all the reviews and alerts! I'm glad you guys like the story!**

**Here's the next chapter hope you guys like it!**

**Chapter 11:**

"Are you sure Damon?"

"I have never been more sure Elena. I know we have only been together for 8 months, but I know I want you to live with me."

Elena just stared at him. She wanted to say yes, but the nagging voice in the back of her mind kept screaming at her that it was too soon. But when she looked into his eyes, and saw how vulnerable he was at that moment, she couldn't possibly tell him no.

"OK, I'll move in with you." She said smiling.

Damon smiled the biggest and brightest smile she had ever seen him have. He pulled her into his body and hugged her tight, as they swayed to the song that was slowly fading.

Damon's hand reached up and cupped Elena's chin tipping her head up, before Damon could say or do anything Elena's lips crashed onto his. His hands instantly ran through her hair gripping onto it as he deepened the kiss. Elena ran her hands up his back under his shirt caressing his bare skin. Damon pulled away, so they could both catch a breath.

"Let's take this up stairs." He whispered in her ear.

The minute they hit Damon's room they had quickly gotten rid of their shirts and pants. Damon planted kisses all over Elena's jaw bone down around her neck and chest, as he walked her back towards the bed. Once her legs hit it, he gently laid her down on the bed, climbing on top of her. He crushed his lips onto hers passionately as his hands roamed and caressed all of her bare skin. Each moaning into each other's mouths, Elena began removing his boxers, caressed his ass as her feet finished pulling them off. Damon moaned and his hips bucked into her causing her to moan. Damon then hands eagerly removed her bra and panties.

"You're so beautiful baby."

He murmured into her ear as he bit her lobe.

"Damon, I need you."

That was all it took, before he positioned himself on top of her. Each thrust their moans got louder, Damon buried his head in her hair as he entwined his hands in hers and held them on both sides of her head, as they made love the rest of the night.

I woke up to the sun light shining through the window; when I rolled over to shield my eyes I realized the bed was empty. I instantly shot up and looked around the room for Damon as I stepped out of bed.

"Damon?"

No answer, I repeated his name several times before giving up. I threw on my pajamas and headed down stairs to see if he was down there.

What I found was not what I was looking for. There on the couch sat a man I had not seen in years with a pretty blond holding a baby. I had no clue how to react, I tried to back out of the room before anyone had noticed me but as I backed out I ran into the side table knocking off the lamp. Thankfully i was able to catch it and set it back, but when I turned around he was starring at me. He looked as though he couldn't believe he was seeing me here, but maybe he just didn't remember me.

"E…Elena?"

Shit, he remembers me.

"Stefan."

He stood up from the couch as Iwalked over towards him, now I could see Lexi sitting on the couch holding a baby that looked to be a newborn.

"What are you doing here?"

"Damon."

"Damon? You know my brother?"

"Yes, well when I met him I didn't know he was your brother, but yes I know him we're dating. What are you doing here? Where's Damon?"

"Well, we thought Damon would want to meet his niece. He hasn't been able to get away long enough to come visit us in New York, so here we are. And Damon ran to the store to pick up some stuff for brunch."

Oh, nice he left me here knowing how things ended with me and Stefan. What the hell was he thinking!

"Oh I see, thank you."

Oh I have to get out of here; I turn to run up stairs to get dressed and leave, but only got two steps away.

"Elena, wait."

I stopped and turned around; Stefan was stepping closer to me.

"Look, I'm sorry how I treated you back then, and for cheating on you. I should have just ended things before I did what I did."

Wow, was he really apologizing. That's something new; I stared at him for a few moments as I studied his expression. He seemed to be genuine about the apology.

"It's ok, it's on the past. We have both obviously moved on."

"Right, but still if you are dating my brother I would like to at least be able to get along with each other."

"I agree, Damon should be getting home soon, and I wasn't aware we had company so I'll go change and I will be back down shortly."

Stefan nodded and mumbled ok. I turned and headed for Damon's bedroom. Once I got there I rummaged through the dresser drawer Damon had made for me. Once I found an outfit I showered and got dressed, when I stepped out of the bathroom Damon was standing by the bedroom door. I smiled at him as I finished brushing my hair and setting my brush down on his dresser.

"So I heard you uh re met Stefan."

"UH yea, talk about awkward."

"Sorry baby, I didn't know he was coming, and you were so tired I thought I would have been back before you woke."

"It's ok, look he apologized, I forgave moving on now. He's your brother so I will get along with him for you."

Damon smiled at me. Oh how I loved that gorgeous smile, it somehow always made me melt.

"Thank you baby, now let's get back down stairs, I want to meet my baby niece!"


	12. Chapter 12

**AN: Sorry it has taken me so long to update. I updated the letter twice since I last updated this story, and got way less reviews on it, which I'm kind of surprised because I felt they were the best chapters of that story so far. But I will finish it no matter what :/. I will also finish this, I don't see it ending any time soon I have a lot to go through still, but sometimes I lose my inspiration, especially if I get no feed back at all. I did however get many favorites and followers so thank you to those who favorite and followed me! Here's the next chapter, I had a really hard time with this one! I wrote it out several different ways and this is the one I liked best, I hope you like it. I'm debating on writing longer chapters with fewer updates or stay with where there at and update more.**

**Chapter 12:**

Damon walked over to the couch where Lexi was holding the little baby; he reached out and took her into his arms smiling at her as her eyes opened.

"Ok, so now you need to tell me what my nieces name is, and why I am just now finding out about her."

"Her name is Addison Rose, but we call her Addy. And you don't know about her because the last time we talked it was all about dad and work. I was too worked up about you leaving dad's firm to mention it, and by the time she was born you were preoccupied with Elena's accident, and your work. I just never got around to it. Lexi is the reason we came now, she said it had been too long, and you deserved to know your niece."

"You think? I can't believe you would keep her from me for so long. How old is she?"

"She'll be three months next week. Look I just didn't know how to tell you after what happened with Katherine."

Damon and Elena's heads both snapped up. Damon was glaring at Stefan; he hadn't gotten around to telling Elena about that part of his life yet.

"What do you mean?"Elena asked quietly.

Stefan looked at Damon then back to Elena.

"Shit, Damon I'm sorry I wasn't thinking."

"Yea whatever, it's nothing baby; I'll tell you about it later."

"Uh, ok I guess."

Damon stood up and handed Addy to Stefan and walked over to the bar and poured himself a drink.

"It's getting late, is anyone else hungry?"

"Yea, I could go for some food right about now." Stefan said as he buckled Addy in her seat.

"Well, why don't we get ready and we can go into Richmond to eat?" Lexi asked.

Damon looked at Elena as if he was asking her if she was ok with that, she nodded.

"Yea sounds good. Go get ready Lena." He barked out.

Elena glared at him as he tossed back the rest of his bourbon and set his glass down. He turned to follow after only to notice she hadn't moved, and was staring at him.

"Come on, let's go get ready I'm starving."

His tone had changed at this point, and Elena figured that whatever happened with Katherine had gotten to him a bit, and shrugged his coldness and rudeness off. She nodded as he smiled at her and went up stairs.

Elena couldn't believe the restaurant they had taken her to, she had never been to anything so nice before and she couldn't imagine the price tag on the food. Once they stepped in they were stopped by the coat check girl Elena was amazed at the interior and was looking around as Damon took her coat from her, which had got her attention and she smiled at him.

Once they were shown to their seats, the waiter handed them menus to look at. Elena's eyes went wide as she saw the prices on everything, a cheeseburger was 65.75, she couldn't even think about spending that much on a cheeseburger. She began to panic she didn't even have enough money to cover a drink. Trying to hide her panic she began fidgeting in her seat.

"Don't worry about it baby, I got you. Order whatever you want." Damon whispered to her.

She smiled and nodded. She was a little relieved but also a little irritated. She wondered if that's how her life with Damon was going to be like.

"Are you guys ready to order?" The waiter asked.

Damon looked at Elena and she nodded.

Elena listened as everyone places their order not believing they could pay that much for something that would cost so much cheaper at the grill, or made at home.

"Baby, are you going to order?"

"Oh right, yea I will have the chef salad with ranch dressing with a side of French bread please."

Damon stared at her. She ordered the cheapest thing there was on that menu and he knew it.

"Are you sure that's all?" He asked her.

She nodded her head and he shrugged.

"Oh and can we get a bottle of your best merlot please?" Damon asked.

"Yes, sir." The waiter replied and left.

Elena was bored out of her mind the entire dinner. All Stefan and Lexi seemed to do was try and talk Damon into going back to work for their father firm. She wasn't too interested in their conversation; all she kept thinking about was what the whole thing with Katherine was, and about how she would handle being with Damon and all of his money. She really couldn't tell if she would like something like that. Before she knew Damon was escorting her out the door and they were on their way home.

"So what was wrong with you at dinner?" Damon asked as he hung his jacket on the back of the living room chair.

"Nothing, I guess I just wasn't as hungry as I thought I was."

"Really you're seriously going to lie to me. It's got to be really bad for you to lie to me."

"What makes you think I'm lying?"

"Baby, I have been with you for almost a year, I know you. You're lying and I don't know why you can't tell me."

"Ok fine, I'll tell you. But I really don't want to fight with you about anything tonight."

Damon nodded and sat down on the couch.

"I was thinking about the whole Katherine thing and what it could possibly be all night."

"Is that it?"

Elena nodded.

"OK, I guess I can tell you. Come over here."

Elena walked over and sat down next to Damon.

"Well, shortly before I ended it, Katherine had told me she was pregnant and it was mine. I was so excited, I have always wanted to get married and have kids. I went to doctor appointments with her, and talked to her belly and everything. She was almost 3 months along when I had found out about her cheating on me. Once I confronted her and she had finally admitted it I told her we were over, but that I would be there no matter what for the baby, if it was mine. She swore it was that she had always used protection with others. Yea she said others I was only aware of one. Anyway, I started packing my things, and she realized I was really leaving. She started screaming at me a lot of it was nonsense but she kept screaming for me not to leave that she couldn't handle a baby on her own. I took it as her just trying to get me to stay. But I found out a few weeks after I left, that she meant it. She went behind my back and got an abortion knowing how much I wanted it. Knowing I was dead set against aborting my own child. I would have taken it and raised it myself, but she didn't even give me the chance."

Elena was shocked, she didn't know what to say or do. She had never known someone to go through that. She did the only thing she could think to do. She crawled closer to him and hugged him tight, whispering that she was sorry.


	13. Chapter 13

**AN: I am so sorry it has taken me so long to get this up! I have so many ideas for this story it is getting hard to figure out where to insert them. School is also back in so updates will probably be longer between possibly, but I will try to make them longer!**

**Chapter 13:**

It has been a few days since Elena had found out about Damon's past with Katherine. She had so many mixed feelings about it, she wasn't sure what to do. She was angry that Katherine did that to Damon and that she did that to their baby. She was sad for Damon she could tell he was really wanting to be a daddy, and she also found herself happy that it did happen or else Katherine would still be in his life.. in their life, but then felt horrible about feeling that way. She was on an emotional roller coaster, and couldn't even take the time to think about it all.

After he confessed all she could do was be there for him. She didn't say anything, just was there for him. She moved into the boarding house two days later and since then everything has been great, but it Elena couldn't help but think that maybe she had rushed, that she made a decision so fast because she had felt bad for Damon.

She knew she loved him; she would do anything for him, but couldn't completely ignore the little voice in her head that kept telling her she would get burned and for the past few days she was able to push it back. But today would be different, today things would happen that she couldn't ignore, although she won't even realize it until later down the road.

Damon was in Richmond working until Thursday, he had a few big cases that he needed to be there for. She had four days until Damon would be home, and though he had just left the night before she missed him terribly.

She had made plans to meet with Caroline and Bonnie at the grille at noon for lunch, but was a little too eager and ended up pulling up to the grille at 11:30. As she entered the door she was suddenly felt her stomach knot up, she paused and looked around to see who all was there. Who she saw she was not happy, she was still angry about what she had found out. There at the bar sat Katherine with a thin woman who looked a bit younger than her and had long blond hair, and a thin brunette woman who looked older than her, in fact she looked old enough to be her mother or close. She had tried to hurry and turn her back and walk the other direction before they had noticed, but before she could Katherine looked up and met Elena's gaze. Elena shivered; as Katherine smirked and rolled her eyes then spoke to the other women. The three looked back towards Elena and began to giggle; Elena rolled her eyes and walked to a table in the way back. She seriously considered leaving and having Caroline and Bonnie meet her somewhere else, but decided against it.

This was her home town, she grew up here and always came to the grille way before Queen bitch and her friends showed up she wasn't going to let them get to her. So instead she shot out a quick text letting Caroline know where she was located and waited for the waitress to come over.

A few minutes later she was sipping her drink, Caroline and Bonnie still hadn't shown up yet. She checked her phone, still nothing other than 'k'. She suddenly felt the urge to glance up and as she did she saw Katherine making her way over to her table. Elena's hands flinched tight and she gritted her teeth as Katherine approached her table.

"Aww, how sad sitting all by yourself. What's wrong Damon finally got you to leave him alone?"

Katherine said as she sat down opposite of Elena.

"What do you want Katherine?" Elena gritted.

"Just making friendly conversation Elena, is that so bad?"

"We aren't friends, and never will be, so there's no reason to have a conversation at all."

"Actually your wrong about one thing, there is a reason I came over to talk. You have what I want, and I always get what I want."

"Damon doesn't want you Katherine, he hates you. If he wanted to back he would have gone back."

"See that's where you're wrong, see Damon's a lover always has been. He may be a dick and smart ass but that's just so no one knows the real him. He has always wanted a family, and can get confused easily when it comes to his real feelings. He still loves me, and I will get him back. I have my ways, and one of them is Giuseppe, all I have to do is make a few calls, and everything Damon's built for himself will be gone!"

"You would really do that to him? You claim you love him, but you would destroy him just to get your way?"

"Elena, I never said I loved him. I said I want him; I want my old life style back. But you're in my way, and if you don't get out of my way I will do whatever is necessary to get him back. Damon is mine and always will be."

"He is not yours he is mine! You should have thought about that before you cheated on him and killed his child you dumb bitch!"

Right as bitch left her mouth Katherine reached over and smacked Elena across the face so hard Elena's face whipped to the side.

"Don't you ever fucking talk to me like that again you little fucking slut!" she yelled.

Elena flew out of the seat and lunged at Katherine, but her arms were suddenly restrained.

Katherine laughed.

"Ahh, nice try Elena."

Elena looked to see who was holding her back, it was the other woman.

"Oh how rude I didn't introduce you to my friends, Elena this is Isobel and Rebeckah, my best friends. And they don't like it when some skank stands in my way."

Elena started to struggle to get out of their grips. Katherine laughed and walked up to her and grabbed Elena's chin holding her head still with her strong grip.

"Now, you will leave Damon, and get the fuck out of my way. If you don't I will make those phone calls and won't stop until I have Damon begging me to take him back."

And suddenly she was thrusted back into her seat and they walked out the door.

A few minutes later Bonnie and Caroline had shown up, and Elena had explained to them what happened. They both tried to tell her to call Damon and tell him, but she didn't want to bother him with it. She wasn't sure what she was going to, but she knew she was not going to tell him.

Later that night she returned home. She had done her best to keep herself busy all day so she wouldn't think about it. She continued once she got home, she ate dinner, showered read a book, replied to text messages from Damon and Caroline.

She retired to their bedroom and decided to write in her diary, maybe it would help her figure out what she was going to do. Once she started writing things down, she realized how much she truly loved Damon, she didn't want to lose him, but she also couldn't let everything he had worked so hard for and loved be taken away from him. She went through several options but they all ended the same way. She would have to walk away from Damon. The tears began to run down her cheeks as the reality was hitting her. She buried her head in Damon's pillow and cried herself to sleep.

The next morning she awoke to the door bell going off like crazy. She rolled over and checks the time on her phone which said it was 8:30. Who the hell would be at their door this early in the morning?

She rolled out of bed, ran her hands through her hair and ran down to the door swinging it open.

"Caroline? What the fuck are you doing her so early?"

Caroline pushed her way in.

"I have to work at 10, but I wanted to stop and talk to you. Here this is for you thought you would need it."She giggled and handed Elena the cup of coffee.

"Gee thanks."

Elena followed Caroline into the parlor and sat down next to her on the couch sipping the coffee.

"So?"

"So what?"

"Well, what are you going to do? Did you tell Damon?"

"Oh, no I haven't and I'm not going to either. I've thought about it, and I think I will have to let him go."

"What? I don't fucking think so Lena! You are not going to give into that bitch! This is what she wants!"

"Care, I have to. Damon has worked so hard for what he's got and he loves it. I can't let it get taken away from him."

"She's all talk Lena, she's not going to do shit. And Damon loves you to you know, and he worked pretty damn hard to finally get you. And even if you did, he won't go back to her we both know that."

"I know Care, I know he won't go back, but I don't know what else to do!"

"OK, I think for one: you should tell Damon, and for two: stay and fight! The bitch won't do shit, this is one thing she won't get Lena, but you have to make sure of it. If you love each other you can't let her get between you guys."

"Your right Care, I'll stay and fight, but I'm not going to tell him. He has enough on his plate."

"Whatever Elena, he's going to be pissed if he finds out, better it be coming from you; you know."

"Right, I'll think about it ok?"

"Good."

DPOV

It had been a long busy day, and Damon finally was able to sit down for the night. He was about to call Elena when he noticed he had a few missed calls and text messages. He opened the message first, two from Elena and four from Caroline. What the hell every message from her had asked him to call her ASAP.

"Damon?"

"Blondie, what the fuck am I the only one that works?"

"Oh, shut up dick. Look I think you need to know something, and Elena is going to be mad fucking pissed at me, but I don't care."

"What Blondie spit it out already damn."

"Your bitch of an ex, made an appearance at the grille the other day."

"And? Elena knows the deal, so why would she be pissed?"

"Because the bitch threatened her, she said she wanted you and that she would ruin you if Elena didn't leave. When Elena stood up to her that bitch fucking hit her, and her two minions held Elena back so she couldn't even defend herself."

Caroline heard what she believed to be a growl.

"Damon?"

"That fucking bitch I swear to fucking god!" He yelled.

"Right, what I said. Look just calm down before you talk to Elena ok?"

"Later Blondie!" He yelled before she heard the click.

Damon was beyond pissed. That bitch threatened and hurt Elena and then had the nerve to threaten to ruin his life? Oh he was going to kill that bitch alright. He wanted to talk to Elena but if he called her as pissed as he was now, it would not go well. He calmed himself the only way he knew how.

"He grabbed a bottle of bourbon and began to slam the bottle back. Between drinks he's throwing something against the wall. It took him almost an hour to calm down.

He still wasn't sure who he should call first, the bitch or Elena.


	14. Chapter 14

**AN: Thanks to everyone who reviewed and favorite my story! I'm going to try and update 3 times a week, but with my kids being in school, it might not happen. I also have a few ideas for a new story, and a few for some one shot's, one in which will be very sad just warning you. I think when I hit writers block on this story I might write a few one shots to keep you guys entertained. I also finally have a beta MrsDamonSalvatore29. She's great and has some really good stories so check them out! Anyway here's the next chapter!**

**Chapter 14:**

He had attempted to get a hold of Katherine several times, but to no avail. Even worse, Elena wasn't answering his texts or calls either which really worried him. He had been lying in bed trying to sleep for the past three hours, but not hearing from Elena was eating away at him. He needed to talk to her, needed to make sure that everything was ok.

He tossed and turned, sent another text to Elena and still no reply. He had finally had enough, he knew what would help him sleep and he wasn't going to wait any longer.

A few hours later he pulled into the driveway. Looking at the house he and Elena shared, he began to fidget and get nervous; all the lights were out. He felt a little better knowing that Elena's car was parked in the driveway. He turned his car off and jumped out, running into the house.

He walked into their bedroom and was relieved to see Elena curled up in their bed. He took off his coat and shoes and walked towards the bed, stripping off his shirt and pants as he climbed into bed setting his phone on the side table next to Elena's.

The minute he settle in Elena rolled over and cuddled up to him. He sighed and kissed her forehead as he wrapped his arms around her.

He didn't want to wake her, but couldn't sleep either. Too many 'what ifs' running through his head, so he laid there holding her and running his hand over her cheek.

Elena woke up with a smile on her face, last night had been the best night of sleep she had gotten since Damon was gone. She smiled stretched and rolled over to bury her face into Damon's pillow as she normally did when he was gone, but she instead rolled into a body.

When she glanced up she couldn't help but smile. She wasn't expecting him to be home for another day.

She reached up and laid her hand on his cheek, in doing this he began to stir.

His grip tightened on her and he smiled as his eyes opened.

"Good morning" Elena said quietly.

"Good morning baby."

"What are you doing here? I thought you weren't coming home until tomorrow."

"I wasn't supposed to, but I was told about a situation that happened here, and I couldn't get a hold of you so I came home."

"Oh and what situation is that?"

"Katherine."

"Caroline." Elena groaned.

"Yes, Blondie called me and told me about it. Why didn't you call me and tell me?"

"I didn't want to bother you with it. At least not until you were home and not busy with your cases."

"You know she's just playing a game right? She's just trying to get what she wants."

"I know Damon, but I can't risk you losing all you have worked for. You worked too hard for it to all be taken away over one girl."

"She is all threats, no one's going to take anything away from me, and you're not just one girl to me."

"Are you sure you want to risk it?"

"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't."

Damon kissed her forehead as she smiled and laid her head down on his chest.

Over the next few days they had both forgotten about Katherine and hadn't seen nor heard from her since her confrontation with Elena at the grill. Everything went back to the way it was before she had shown back up into their lives. They were happy and any lingering doubts Elena had were slowly diminishing.

Damon went back to working, and sometimes he would talk Elena into coming with him into the city. He knew she was getting frustrated at not finding a job. To be honest Damon didn't want her to work, but he knew she wanted and needed too. That didn't mean he understood it, but he supported her and tried to be there for her. He was even seriously thinking about offering her the assistant position at his firm, though he doubted she would take it.

Elena had spent most of her days applying for jobs and attending interviews, she was beginning to get frustrated. She must have applied at every business in Mystic Falls, and still nothing. Her bank account was dwindling and Damon didn't understand why she was so adamant about getting a job. After every interview she would come home and Damon would always say 'you don't have to worry about a job I can support us both'. She tried to get him to understand that she needed a job to be independent and that she wanted to be able to bring money to the relationship. He just wasn't having it, sometimes she thought he was somehow preventing people from hiring her, and then she would realize how stupid it sounded and go on with filling more applications out.

Tonight was their one year anniversary, but Elena didn't know what to expect. She knew that Damon had something planned, and it would be big because Damon Salvatore doesn't do small and simple.


	15. Chapter 15

**AN: Sorry it's been so long for an update, I have been struggling with writers block on both of my stories :/. I understand some of you are confused that it's already there 1 year anniversary, I have to do some time jumps or else this story will go on and on forever, lol. Don't worry it will slow down soon for a while. Hope you guys like it, please review? I love reading them!**

**Chapter 15:**

Elena could not believe her eyes when they finally arrived at their destination. Damon had never been real romantic during their dates, but this was way beyond anything he has ever done.

Damon had led her down a small dirt path towards a lake. There was a big white pavilion between two big oak trees. Each tree had two lanterns hanging down from lower branches, a white carpet leading up to the pavilion that held a small black iron table and two chairs. There were candles lit along the ledge of the pavilion and on the table, and red rose petals covered the pavilion floor. Damon led her up the steps of the pavilion and pulled her chair out for her. Elena watched as Damon walked over to a stereo that she hadn't noticed was there. Soft music started to play as Elena watched Damon set the dishes on the table and take his seat.

"I hope you like what I made for us to eat. I couldn't decide so I went with what you always ask to eat."

"Of course I will like it, I love cheese burgers!" She replied giggling.

"Well I know it's not exactly romantic or really fit with everything.."

"Damon, its fine I love that you made cheese burgers. Everything looks really beautiful Damon. I didn't really expect anything like this from you."

"I'm glad you like everything. Oh and you can thank Blondie for the romantic crap."

Elena started laughing.

"Romantic crap oh how romantic that sounds. Why should I thank Caroline?" Elena replied giggling.

"Well I wanted tonight to be special for you, and as you know I don't do romantic, so I called Blondie and asked her to help me."

"You really asked Caroline to help?

"Mhhm,"

"Awe, that's so sweet."

"What's sweet?"

"You actually called my Caroline for help, just to make tonight special for me."

"Yes, I did. I don't know what you're doing to me making me all soft."

"Well I don't know either, but thank you. I love it."

"I'd do anything for you Lena you know that."

"I do." She replied smiling.

The music continued to play as they ate their dinner and drank their wine and made small talk about silly things.

_'Watching every motion in my foolish lover's game  
On this endless ocean finally lovers know no shame  
Turning and returning to some secret place inside  
Watching in slow motion as you turn around and say_

Elena stopped talking as she focused in on the song the song that was playing. As she listened to the words she realized what song it was, and that it happened to play an awful lot when she was around Damon, it sent chills down her spine, and she smiled.

"You know, I really like this song." She said smiling.

Damon smiled at her and stood up grabbing her hand and pulling her away from the table.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, as he wrapped his around her waist, and they began to sway to the music.

"Oh? And why is that?" He asked as he spun them around causing her to giggle.

"Thinking back, it's played almost every time if not every time we've been together."

Damon smiled and pulled her closer holding her tighter.

"I realized that. That's why I put it on my ipod, shortly after our first dance. I consider it our song; I told you that you turned me into a damn softy!"

Elena giggled and smiled.

"Yea you're a total softy!" She replied sarcastically.

_Take my breath away'_

_'Watching every motion in my foolish lover's game  
On this endless ocean finally lovers know no shame  
Turning and returning to some secret place inside  
Watching in slow motion as you turn around and say_

_Take my breath away_

"Every time I hear this song I think about you and us." Damon whispered in her ear.

Elena shivered and swallowed hard looking up at him.

"You do?"

"Yes, you don't?"

"No, I mean yes, but that's not what I meant. I meant I never thought you would think like that."

"Of course I would, I know I'm a dick, and not real romantic, but I think about it all the time even when there is no song."

"What do you think about?"

"About how you saved me, I did some bad things before I met you. All I cared about was drinking and sex, when I met you it all went out the window. All that mattered was you, all I wanted was you. If it wasn't for you I would probably be dead by now. I owe you so much 'Lena, and I know I don't deserve you, but I will go to hell and back to try and do right by you. I have never loved anyone as much as I love you."

Elena swallowed hard, her stomach doing flip flops.

"Damon, you don't have to do anything but love me. I don't want you to change I love you the way you are. And don't ever say you don't deserve me, because you do."

Damon nodded and kissed her forehead.

"When you say things like that, it's hard for me to believe it." He gulped out.

Elena reached up and cupped his cheek as she looked him the eyes.

"Damon, you need to believe it, believe me. I love you and no matter what you do I always will. We both were doing horrible things before we met each other. We saved each other, and we deserve each other."

As she finished her sentence his lips crashed down to hers in a passionate intense kiss. A kiss he had never kissed her with before, almost desperate. She began to deepen the kiss as Damon backs her towards the big oak tree.

The next thing she knew her back was hitting something soft as Damon kissed and bit down her neck. He continued kissing her as he began removing her clothes. She finally realized what was going on and began to rip his clothes off as well.

Both of them lie naked underneath the big oak tree lit with lanterns. Desperately kissing each other body's desperate to closer to one another. Damon laced his hands with hers and placed them on both sides of her head as he began thrusting, both moaning with pleasure Elena matched his thrusts.

As they both reached their climax Damon collapsed onto Elena holding her tight. She ran one of her hand through his hair and the other over his back. Damon kissed her cheek and was humming a tune that she couldn't quite make out.

"I love you." She whispered.

"I love you too baby."

They laid there silent for what seemed to be an eternity, just enjoying the closeness. Damon still humming the tune, which she eventually figured out was take my breath away.

"Please don't leave me"

Damon softly spoke into her ear, so soft she barely heard it, but she did and it was pure love and vulnerability. She wasn't sure how she could convince him she wouldn't so she said the only thing she could.

"I won't Damon. Never."


	16. Chapter 16

**AN: Sooo sorry for the long wait… I have been struggling with writers block badly. I have also been thinking about taking THE LETTER down and rewriting it. If you guys are interested in that let me know! I have so many things planned out for this story, and I just have to try and work through one at a time so I don't get over whelmed. I might end up putting NEVER SAID GOODBYE on hiatus for a while, I am not sure. But I promise you guys I will do my best to have more updates and frequently. Please bear with me, and as always REVIEW! I love reading your views on my story!**

**Chapter 16:**

Three days after their anniversary Damon got called out to Richmond to meet with his bosses. That had been two days ago, two very long days ago. Whatever it was, it had to be either something very important or something very bad, because the only time she had heard anything from him were short texts here and there, and most of them consist of 'miss you' 'love you' or 'really busy'. He didn't once mention what was going on, and it was killing her not knowing.

So she did what she could to keep herself busy. She would go shopping or out to lunch with Jenna, or have hour long conversations with Caroline or Bonnie. The distractions weren't helping much, at all but it was better than her sitting at home,_ their_ home and worrying constantly.

Elena was running late tonight, she was supposed to meet Jenna and Alaric at the grille for dinner at six, and that was thirty minutes ago. Finishing up her makeup she grabbed her purse, slid her shoes on and was putting her coat on as she opened the door.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"A better question is what the hell are you doing here? I told you to leave!"

"Katherine, I am not leaving Damon, and I told you that. Now you need to leave."

"No, I don't think I do. I came here to see Damon. And as this is his house I don't have to leave unless he tells me to, and I very highly doubt he will tell me to do so. He did just tell me I could stop by any time to see him after all."

"Oh is that so? Well for one I live here so that makes it my house also, so if I tell you to leave you leave. And for two when did you supposedly talk to Damon?"

"Really, well if you believe so, now do tell Damon I stopped by."

Elena shut and locked the front door.

"You didn't answer my question."

"Yesterday, if it's any of your business."

"Really, so why would he tell you to stop by if he is not even home?"

Katherine shrugged, as Elena rolled her eyes and walked to her car.

"Oh Elena, If I were you I would listen to what I said. I have already put my plan in motion, I'm sure you and Damon have already realized that!"

Before Elena could respond Katherine had gotten in her car and sped off.

Elena didn't have much of an appetite when she got to the grille. She explained to Caroline about Katherine's appearance, and that she was really worried about Damon. She still hadn't heard anything from him, but a text message that said 'I love you and miss you'. Caroline of course had tried telling Elena not to worry about it and that Damon would figure something out, but Elena couldn't help but worry. What if she had destroyed everything he had worked for, by her being selfish and wanting to be with the man she loved. Plenty of people had let the love of their lives go right?

She was never a selfish person; she always put other people before her. That's one reason why she didn't understand why she couldn't put Damon's happiness first. She knew he loved her and she loved him, but surely he could get over her and be happy if she were to have let him go.. Eventually.

Truth was she wanted to be selfish, she wanted to be happy for once in her life, and think of her for once. She loved Damon more than anyone she had ever loved before and she wanted to be with him. She could probably live without him, but it wouldn't be easy or pretty. It would kill her everyday to wake up knowing she gave Damon up, that she wouldn't get her dream of growing old and having a family with him. She was so confused and had no clue what she was going to do, so she decided to wait it out and see what happened.

Damon walked into the house shutting the door softly so he didn't wake Elena. He was screwed Katherine had actually went through with her plan and he wasn't sure how Elena would react. He was worried about his business, but more worried about his relationship with Elena. He didn't want to lose her, and he feared this would make her run to protect him. He kicked off his shows threw his jacket on the chair and headed for their bedroom.

He entered the room and saw Elena curled up in the blankets with her head on his pillow; she had stretched across the whole bed. Damon chuckled and sat down slowly on the bed and watched her.

He'd do anything for this girl; give up everything including his life if needed. He knew he couldn't lie to her, she knew something was wrong; he had never gone so long not talking to her. He missed her like hell, but he was desperately trying to fix Katherine's mess.

Elena's eyes opened slowly, and he smiled at her.

"Hey baby." He said as he pushed some hair off her face.

Elena smiled at sat up wrapping her arms around his neck.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too, gorgeous."

"What happened Damon?"

If he lied she'd know, and that could possibly make things worse.

"Katherine." He said threw gritted teeth.

**AN: I know it's a little short but I feel so bad making you guys wait so long for an update. Truth is, I am stuck in writers block really bad. I had to push myself to get this far with this chapter.**

**I also recently started making and selling hair bows, fleece tie blankets, tutu's and fairy wands, so if you're a momma or just want to lend your support like me on facebook. Its called Becca's lil boutique and heres where you will find it BeccaBooBows**

**Thanks everyone I hope you like this chapter!**


	17. Chapter 17

**AN: So sorry for the long wait for an update! My hair bows have kind of taken off, and I am trying to figure out how to balance everything out! I promise I will get it figured out soon! Thank you everyone who reviews favorites follows and reads this story! I really appreciate it! This story is getting kind of lengthy and I really so ne end to it at this point, not sure if I will split and do a sequel or just one long story :/ guess we'll wait and see.**

**Chapter 17:**

"I figured, what did she do?"

"She must have broken into my office, or coned her way in I'm not sure yet, but she managed to get her claws onto my client list and must have worked her magic. She got all but five clients to leave and go to my dad's. Some of them won't even answer my call, so I have no clue what she said to them. The one's that did answer did not want to be associated with someone who is like me."

Damon put his head in his hands running his hands through his hair.

"What did she say? What do you mean someone who is like you?"

"Well according to the clients or former clients I should say, I used Katherine for her money promised her marriage and a family. Only when she was expecting "our" child, I took her money and skipped out. She pulled this whole sob story about me using and abusing her, and leaving her high and dry to take care of a baby, she's even claiming to still be raising him. Has a birthday a full name, hell a full history on him, I can't believe she went this far!"

Elena was shocked, she had no clue Katherine would or could go this far. Make up a whole story, a whole other life and have people believe her? That couldn't be possible, she didn't understand how strangers would take her word over someone they knew and trusted longer.

"I can't believe she would do that. All your clients left because they believe her story about you abandoning them? I don't understand how so many people can be so naïve and believe it without any proof."

"Yea, about that, I guess I should have mentioned that part. She did show them proof."

"What how? What do you mean she showed them proof?"

"She showed them pictures."

"But I thought you said she didn't keep the baby."

"She didn't to my knowledge she told me she didn't."

"Well then how does she have pictures?"

"She either had a kid around the same time, using someone else's kid, or she lied and really kept the baby."

"You mean you could possibly have a son?"

"It's a possibility."

"What are you going to do?"

Damon shrugged his shoulders and laid back on the bed.

"I'm not sure, but I do know I need to find out. If it is my kid, there is no way in hell I am letting that bitch raise him any longer."

Elena nodded in agreement.

"I wouldn't let you."

Silence fell upon them neither of them spoke a word to each other. Elena was nervous and worried what all this would do to them. And then felt guilty for being selfish, if Damon did have a child, she wouldn't stay as long as he wanted her too. But what if the only way he could protect his child was to go back to Katherine.

Damon was worried all of this would scare Elena off. He didn't want to lose her, but if it turned out that he in fact had a child there was no way he would abandon it. He only hoped that she would support him and still be with him, even if that meant helping raise a child that wasn't hers. But he couldn't ask her to stay if she truly didn't want to, how can you ask someone to stay with all this drama going around all the time.

He reached over and pulled Elena closer to him and wrapped his arms around her.

"Look knowing Katherine, it's probably not mine. So let's not think about that until we find out. I'll get in touch with a lawyer tomorrow and draw up some papers for a DNA test. We'll worry about it when the results come back."

"And if it is yours?"

"Fuck, I don't even know. I know I will not let him grow up with her, and I will never go back to her. But it will be a big change to get used to."

Elena nodded.

"Look, I'll understand if you want to leave. When we got together you didn't sign on for all this drama."

"Do you want me to leave?"

"It doesn't matter what I want. I want you to make that decision based on what you feel."

"I don't want to leave, but if you want me to I will. I don't want to stand in your way; I don't want Katherine to destroy your life even more because of me."

"Look, like I said we don't know the outcome of all this is going to be. But I will tell you that I love you, I don't want to lose you, and Katherine will be the last reason for us to not work out. I won't let Katherine destroy us, as long as we are together and are happy with each other that's all that matters. I have money saved, more than enough, and I will be more than happy to get a job at a bar or pizza parlor to take care of you if needed."

"Damon Salvatore bar tender or pizza maker, that's too funny!" Elena started laughing.

"Seriously though, are you sure you would be happy if you weren't rich anymore?"

"Don't get me wrong it would suck, but I'd be happy as long as you're with me. But I mean it if you're not happy then you can leave. Don't worry about hurt feelings or anything."

"Why do you keep saying that? Do you really want me to leave but just don't want to be the mean guy who hurt the girls' feelings?"

"No, I'm telling you that because I don't want to guilt you into staying. I want you happy, do what makes you happy."

"Well being with you makes me happy. No matter the outcome of all of this is. I want to be with you, and I will be here for you through it all, until you tell me to leave."

"That's just not going to happen." He replied smirking.

"Now let's get to sleep, I'm sure neither of us has had a decent night of sleep the past week or so."

"Your right about that" She replied yawning.

**AN: I know it's not long, and it's all mushy and boring, but had to get it out of the way for more drama to come…I hope you guys like it!**


	18. Chapter 18

**AN: I know I am soooo sorry it has been so long since I last updated! March-May are very busy months for me, and this year even busier. Not only do we have 4 kids birthdays through these months, but now we have a grandbaby, my step daughter had her baby 3 days before her baby sister turned 3.. And my hairbow business has taken off! So in between kids, and making hair bows and tutu's I haven't had much free time for writing. I do promise to finish my stories, it will just take me longer to get them done! I am going to try and write out a few chapters on my down time so that when I get really busy I can just upload them! Feel free to stop by my facebook page and like it!:) BeccaBooBows**

**Not only that but am I the only one who is bored or annoyed with the show right now? And I am not just talking about delena. I really cannot stand elena right now, we already have Katherine****…**** I think they could have made elena losing it different. And they killed Jeremy off, and no tyler I'm just really annoyed, so I have not gotten very much inspiration to wright at the moment. I don't know I am hoping it will get better, but I am going to be extremely pissed if they do not bring Jeremy back somehow! They keep killing my characters! Which is why I write them alive still, I miss Alaric and Jenna! One thing good though we get Elijah back!**

**Anyway, please review!? I am open to ideas too, also looking for a beta to help me out!**

**Chapter 18:**

**Damon's POV:**

**It had been a few weeks since the Katherine incident and they hadn't heard anything else from her. He knew it wasn't the last of her; he was just waiting for her next move. He had talked three clients into staying with him, but honestly his heart just wasn't in it like it used to be. It was so easy for him to do what he did, but since being with Elena he didn't have all his heart in it. They hardly seen each other, he was stressed out from cases, and since Katherine started her shit, he knew it was only going to get worse.**

**He knew he had to think of something else, if he continued to work like he was it was all going to be for nothing, and possibly cost him Elena. Katherine wasn't going to stop until she took every last client and tore his business away from him.**

**That just wasn't going to work for him, he had to beat Katherine at her own game. He had been thinking it over for the past couple days, he hadn't said anything to Elena, but he could tell that she knew he was distracted. He would have to sit down with her tonight and tell her what was going on, but for now he had work to do.  
**

**He pulled into the parking lot of the Mystic Grille and stared at the for sale sign for a few minutes before finally getting out of his car and walking in. He searched for Matt and found him standing behind the bar cleaning glasses and putting them away.**

"**Oh hey Damon, what can I do for you?" Matt asked as he threw the towel over his shoulder and leaned against the bar.**

"**I noticed the for sale sign in the window. Just thought I would stop in and see what was up?"**

"**Oh, Elena didn't tell you?"**

**Damon shook his head.**

"**No we really haven't talked much I have been busy in Richmond. She doesn't even know I'm back yet. So why are you selling?"**

"**It's, I only kept the place long enough to save money, ever since Vicki died and mom took off, I have been wanting to move, just take off and start a new life somewhere where no one knows me. I finally have the money, found a place in New York."**

"**Really, Well that's great, good luck in new York. How did the girls take it?"**

"**They were upset but understood. Caroline made everyone feel better though, by pointing out that they will now have an excuse and reason to visit New York." Matt laughed.**

"**Leave it to Blondie to say that, have any bites?"**

"**Yea, a few but I don't really want to leave it with someone who isn't going to take care of it."**

"**I see, well what are you asking for?"**

"**Are you looking to buy it Damon?"**

"**Possibly, why is that so hard to believe?"**

"**Damon, it's just kind of shocking, I mean I thought you wanted to be the big bad lawyer, taking care of a restaurant is different didn't think you would be interested in it, but if you want it you can have it. I know you and Elena will take care of it.**

"**Well, some things change, I have decided to get out of that business. I think owning this place will be better for us, less stressful even. Again what's the price?"**

"**40,000"**

"**That's it? That's all you're asking?"**

"**Yea, this is mystic falls Damon, believe me I have lowered it."**

**Damon stood up and dug into his pocket and pulled out an envelope.**

"**This should cover it." He said as he handed it to Matt.**

**Matt opened the envelope and pulled out the check. He studied it for a few minutes looked to Damon then back down to the check.**

"**D.. Damon this is 60,000 dollars!"**

**Damon nodded.**

"**But I only asked for 40,000**

**Damon shrugged.**

"**This place is worth more than 40,000. I'm giving you what you deserve. Is that a problem?"**

"**I can't take this Damon, its way more then I'm asking."**

"**Well, I'm not taking it back so you take it do whatever you want with it, use the rest as hush money."**

"**What do you mean hush money?"**

"**I don't want you to say anything to anyone. I will tell Elena, but not right now, I have things I have to figure out before I can tell her."**

**Matt nodded.**

"**I'll be in touch later this week, to talk about the details. I have to get going have a few things to finish up before I see Elena."**


	19. Chapter 19

**AN: Sorry for the delay again! I'm trying to sort out a routine!**

**Slowly getting there! Thank you for the reviews and hi to all the new readers who are following and favorite my stories. Today started out blah, and then I tweeted nina dobrev a question and she actually answered it! Me being a dork got so excited over it, lol. But it did make my day! If you want to follow me im rtsgirl51405 Anyway on to the story! I hope you all like it.**

**I will warn you, that there really won't be too much drama and action in this story, yes Katherine issues will still ensue, but this is mainly a romance story.**

Chapter 19

Damon had sat in his car for a half hour staring at the beautiful white mansion in front of him. He was in awe of the building; he had never seen a house so big and beautiful. It was white with ivory pillars lining the front of the house, light blue shudders covering the windows, vines growing delicately up the side and around the upper balcony. Two big oak trees on either side of the cobblestone walk way that lead up to an ivory glass double door. In the distance he heard children laughing and looked over and noticed a woman and small children playing in the yard. She was staring at him, and he could have sworn she looked scared or worried. Finally deciding to get out, he shut his car door and started walking up the cobblestone focusing his attention on the lilac bushes that lined it.

"Well I never expected to see you again." A man with a British accent said.

Damon shrugged.

"Yea, well I didn't expect to be back here either Elijah, but I need to speak with you."

Elijah nodded.

"Come in."

Damon hadn't spoken to Elijah since he had found out about him and Katherine, they had been best friends since they were 8 years old, and he went and betrayed Damon like that. Damon could never forgive him even after Elijah had begged for forgiveness.

"So what can I help you with?" Elijah asked as they sat down at the dining room table.

"Well I'm sure you're aware of Katherine's latest game?"

Elijah nodded.

"Well, I'm not letting her win this time. I met a girl, Elijah; she means the world to me. Katherine and her games have taken its toll on our relationship; my job has taken a bigger toll on us. I don't want to lose her, and Katherine just won't give up."

"I see, I can tell how much she means, Damon Salvatore does not share his feelings.. She must be something special."

Damon nodded.

"Look I know we kind of have been on the outs since Katherine, but you're the only one I can think of to go to."

"Damon, I told you I am truly sorry about it all. I was dumb and naïve."

"No, don't worry about it, I know how she is, she is very manipulative, I just didn't see it at the time. I was just so angry, but it's in the past I've moved on."

"So is that you saying you forgive me?"

"Uh, yea sure whatever." Damon shrugged

Elijah laughed.

"Damon, I don't understand how you want me to help? If you're asking me to keep her occupied, I can't I'm married now and have children."

"What? God no, that's not what I'm asking. I bought the grille from Matt, I'm getting out of the business, I'm looking to sell my law firm and everything with it, I know there's not many clients left, and it's not much since I had just started, but I thought you might be interested in it."

Elijah was shocked.

"Wait, you're giving up what you worked so hard for, to what to own a bar and grille really?

Damon nodded and Elijah sighed.

"How much are you asking for it?"

"Not much, not what I paid for it, I just need to get rid of it, I have plenty of money in my savings, more than you can imagine, one of the perks of not having to pay any bills since I was living at the boarding house. But once I do this, there is no going back; I will be completely cut off from my dad."

"I see, but Damon you are used to living the way you have been, are you sure you can cope with that?"

"Elijah I have plenty of money, and I have a few ideas to keep it coming in, if it all works out I'll make maybe 2-3 thousand less a week then I do now, not too big of a cut."

"OK, Damon if you're sure. I will buy it from you."

Damon sighed with relief.

"Darling, whose car is out front?" A woman asked as she walked in the dining room with a toddler on her hip and two slightly older children at her feet.

"Rose, this is Damon, a long lost friend of mine. Damon this is Rose my wife and my daughter Sage and our twin sons Kohl and Slater."

Rose held out her hand.

"Nice to meet you Rose." Damon said as he shook her hand.

"We were just discussing business, we'll be done shortly."

Rose nodded and took the kids into the other room.

"So now Damon, tell me about what I'm purchasing."

It was almost 1 am by the time Damon was pulling up in front of the boarding house. He stared up at the dark house, either Elena wasn't home or she was sleeping. He was trying so hard to make it home before she had gone to sleep.

Damon entered the house and made his was to their bedroom, at first he didn't think she was there, but once he got closer he could see her curled up on her side. He stood watching her for a few minutes before he reached down and stroke her cheek. She flinched a bit before opening her eyes.

"Damon?" She said yawning

"Hey, baby."

"What are you doing here? I thought you weren't coming home for a few more days."

"I wasn't going to but some things came up."

"What happened?" Elena shot up

"Oh, no nothing happened well nothing bad happened anyway."

"God Damon you scared me."

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, look, are you tired or are you up for talking?"

"Depends, how bad is it?"

"Well, in my opinion it's not bad at all, you might have a slight problem with it though."

"Ok, Damon just spit it out."

"I bought the grille."

Elena stared at him, eyebrows raised eyes wide.

"Wait, why would you buy the grille?"

"Because Matt's selling it, and I needed something to bring money in."

"Damon, I don't understand."

"I sold my firm Lena, I couldn't do it anymore. I'm done with all the stress, Katherine wasn't going to stop until she got what she wanted."

"So you did this because of Katherine?"

"That's not the only reason babe; we hardly got to see each other because I was always in Richmond. I was always trying to correct all the damage that Katherine created. I wanted to be able to be here at home with you and spend more time with you."

"But Damon, the grille doesn't bring in nearly as much money as your firm did. How are you going to afford it?"

"I have more than enough money saved up, I have been saving since I was a teenager, I knew I didn't want to be working for my dad forever I saved more money then I spent. I paid Matt 60,000 for the grille, and sold my firm for 150,000 to an old…..friend."

"Are you sure you're ok with this?" Elena asked.

"100% sure baby. Are you ok with it?"

"As long as you're happy Damon, I am."

Damon smiled. Now he just needed to tell her the rest of his plan.

"I also want to open the boarding house back up."

Elena's eyes widened.

"It's already paid off, and everything we make off of it will pay bills and be extra money in our pockets."

"But, we live here Damon. I don't want strangers in my home."

"I know, that's why we're going to find our own home, whatever you want I will build you your dream home if you want."

"Damon, were not even married and you want to buy a house together?"

"Well, yea."

"Damon, I don't think we should do that, I mean what if we break up? Who would get the house? Who would get the furniture and so on?"

Damon stared at her. He never thought about it that way.

"Well, I guess I'd give it all to you."

Elena shook her head.

"No, Damon. Look I'm on board for everything else, but maybe you should think about the house thing a little bit more. I mean we don't even know how this is all going to work out, what if we find we don't want to be together? I can't… no I won't keep a house that you paid for, it wouldn't be right."

Damon sighed.

"Elena, I don't think we will get to that point. I love you; my plan is to spend the rest of my life with you."

Elena's breath hitched and she studied Damon's face.

"You really mean that don't you?"

"Yes, I do."

Elena nodded. She wasn't quite sure what to say to that. She really honestly thought that he was moving too fast, she loved him….loved him more than anything, but she didn't want to risk it; she didn't want to lose him.

"I love you too, and that my plan also Damon, but I'm just worried we're moving too fast. Maybe we should slow down a bit and just see how all these other changes go before we buy a house together. Why don't we rent at first and talk about this a few months from now?"

That wasn't at all what Damon had expected. He understood where she was coming from, but he was hoping for an excited agreement. This worried him a bit; he was so confident all week, now he had a little tiny bit of doubt in the back of his head.

"Ok, we can do that." He agreed.

"OK, now can we go to sleep and talk about this more tomorrow?"

"Sure." Damon replied kissing her on the head.

AN: Yes it's a short update but I wanted to give you something, it's better than nothing right? Please review? I'm kind of stuck trying to speed this story up some!


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